ITBD Therapy, LLC

FAQs
 

What should I expect from a development assessment of my young child?

The purpose of a developmental assessment is to document and quantify concerns and areas of learning difficulties.  It usually takes about 1-2 hours of time and should always include both observation of free play activities as well as more structured activity guided by an adult.  This may include tests or developmentally appropriate activities which are directed specifically to test skills. The outcome should be specific suggestions to help teach your child according to his own special approach to learning. 

How does occupational therapy help an infant or toddler?

Occupational therapists are trained to understand the "occupation" of people of all ages and to help figure out how best to encourage learning and adaptation to allow for optimal performance in the face of disability.  For infants and toddlers, their occupation is developing play, communication, mobility and independence in self help skills.  OTs must understand all areas of child development and behavior in order to adequately evaluate and plan treatment goals.  Occupational therapists have training in neurology, orthopedics, development and other medical aspects of care for young children which allows them to provide support and adaptations as needed such as splinting, specialized equipment or tools to allow children to achieve their learning and play goals. Specialized training and experience allows them to provide support and programming for children with particular needs such as behavioral disorders, including autism, extreme prematurity, special health needs and home care, etc.

What is the cost and insurance coverage for occupational therapy services?

Some insurers will pay OTs directly.  Check with your insurance company to inquire.  It is more likely to have funding for occupational therapy services when there is a specific neurological or orthopedic condition requiring services.  It is more difficult, but not impossible, to get coverage for behavioral challenges and developmental delays.  Private payment is possible and is negotiated on an individual basis, depending on distance traveled and number of hours required.  The nationally accepted rate is $70 per hour for private consultation, $120 per hour for hospital based consultations. 

What kind of consultation do you provide?

Individual consultation:  I work directly with individual patients and other therapists to help their families to know next steps, ways to deal with specific challenges and to provide the allied health perspective for early interventionists.  In selected instances, I work directly with the child and family as the primary therapist over a period of time.

Program consultation/technical assistance::  It is helpful for a program to arrange for me to see 2-3 children in a day when I come to the program for consultation to make the most of the time there.  I can also provide didactic workshops as requested for the staff on these consultation days.  There is a day rate for program consultation available on request.

Corporate consultation:  I currently provide consultation to both Sassy, Inc and Softplay, Inc. as an infant/toddler development specialist.  In this role, I review toy and book designs, provide suggestions for improving the function and developmental appropriateness of these products, and write copy for websites and packaging addressing the uses of the products in supporting the development and learning of young children.  Day and hourly rates are available on request.

What are some of the topics you can address in workshops and lectures?

My special interests are in the areas of :

• extreme prematurity, 
• special health needs including BPD and neonatal strokes
• diagnosing and planning treatment for autism in young children
• family centered care practices
• developmentally supportive care environments 

I am familiar with speaking to both professionals and parents and have done multiple workshops for early interventionists, daycare providers, social workers, medical care providers, and other therapists.

What should I do if I suspect my baby is having difficulties with development?

1. Speak first with your medical care provider about your concerns.  When babies are having difficulty, there can often be a medical cause which should be addressed.
2. Ask how to contact your local early intervention program for support
3. Consider evaluation in a developmental clinic such as Child Development at Dartmouth Hitchcock or Child Development at Vermont. Department of Health. Your local medical provider can help to make that referral.
4. Contact your local school district for special education evaluation or services if you child is over 3 years of age