Provides pediatric, occupational, physical, speech, early intervention, play-based, and specialty therapy programs.

Pediatric Therapy offered at Strive Northwest

Programs that offer any of a variety of therapeutic interventions, which may be used singly or in combination, to address the range of social, language, sensory and behavioral difficulties experienced by children and adults with autism and related disorders. Because of the spectrum nature of autism and the many behavior combinations that can occur, treatment approaches must be tailored to meet the individual needs of each person. Included are behavioral and communication development approaches, specialized curricula and sensory integration; biomedical and dietary treatments including psychiatric medications, vitamins and minerals (such as Vitamin B6, magnesium and essential fatty acids), treatment using the hormone secretin and special diets; and various complementary therapies such as music, art or equestrian, speech, physical or occupational which may be used on an individual basis or integrated into an educational program.

Autism Therapy

Programs that establish the nature and extent of an individual's language and/or speech deficits in order to devise an appropriate treatment plan.

Speech and Language Evaluations

Programs that offer individual or group therapy sessions to assist people who have receptive or expressive language difficulties. Sessions usually focus on concept development, word sequencing (syntax), and word choice (vocabulary) as well as on the development or improvement of listening skills.

Language Therapy

Programs that are staffed by specialists who provide comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and management services for people who have a physical disability, either individually or as the leader of an interdisciplinary team. Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists (also known as physiatrists) focus on restoring function using physical means rather than surgery. They prescribe medication, order assistive devices such as a brace or an artificial limb, recommend therapy (e.g., heat and cold, electrotherapies, trigger point injections, massage, biofeedback and traction) and set up exercise programs. Problems most commonly treated by physiatrists include acute and chronic pain, sports injuries (joint injuries, sprains and strains), injuries to the spine or spinal cord, neck injuries, tendonitis, pinched nerves, peripheral nerve injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, traumatic brain injury, paraplegia, quadriplegia, arthritis and neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, polio and ALS. Physiatrists practice in rehabilitation centers, hospitals and private offices; and may have a broad practice or specialize in a particular area such as pediatrics, sports medicine, geriatric medicine or brain injury.

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation oriented fitness programs that are designed to improve strength, stamina, stability, flexibility, functionality and/or mobility using exercise equipment that is specifically designed to meet the needs of patients with acute or chronic health conditions such as arthritis, congestive heart failure, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, physical disabilities or other problems; or through individualized exercise routines that improve or restore physical function so that activities of daily living are no longer a challenge, reduce risk factors, and improve overall health and fitness.

Facility Based Therapeutic Exercise

Programs that pay for or provide internal orthopedic devices (such as hip and knee implants, spinal fusion implants, fracture fixation devices and reconstructive joint devices or bone matrix devices) to provide stability or correct problems that currently exist there; or external orthotic appliances such as back and leg braces, corsets, splints, heel cups, arch supports, insoles and other equipment that is prescribed to remediate problems caused by fractures, arthritis, bone disease or disorders of the back, hips, spine, hands and other extremities.

Orthopedic/Orthotic Devices

Programs that offer a procedure that is designed to identify children who should receive more intensive assessment or diagnosis for potential developmental delays. Screening tools can be specific to a disorder (e.g., autism), an area (e.g., cognitive development, language, or gross motor skills), or they may be general, encompassing multiple areas of concern; and rely heavily on parent observation. They do not provide conclusive evidence of developmental delays and do not result in diagnoses. A positive screening result should be followed by a thorough assessment. The goal of developmental screening is to allow for earlier detection of delays in order to improve child health and well-being for identified children.

Pediatric Developmental Screening

Programs that provide a comprehensive, structured evaluation of a child's cognitive/intellectual functioning, language and communication skills, independent living skills, social and emotional development and perceptual/motor functioning in order to identify individuals who show developmental delays, determine the nature and extent of the problem and recommend a course of treatment and care. Developmental assessments are generally offered by a developmental assessment specialist, or a team of professionals that can include a pediatrician, language specialist, audiologist, occupational therapist, child psychologist and child psychiatrist, among others. They involve age-adjusted questions regarding a child's growth, physical movements, behavior, play, and interactions with family members and the rest of the world as well as a series of tests that may include a physical exam, hearing and eye screenings, play observation, and standardized tests that present the child with specific tasks to determine areas of strength and weakness. They can also be used to identify individuals who have developmental disabilities such as intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, autism and neurological impairments, in order to establish eligibility for state and federally funded programs.

Pediatric Developmental Assessment

Programs that identify infants, toddlers and in some cases, preschoolers who show evidence of or are at risk for lags in physical development, cognitive development, language and speech development, psychosocial development or self-help skills, and provide or coordinate the delivery of an enrichment program in order to minimize the potential for a developmental delay and to meet their current developmental needs. The program may include early identification activities (child find); a developmental evaluation; a review of family concerns, priorities and resources; meetings with the family to develop an individualized family service plan; service coordination to ensure that the individual and his or her family receive needed services which may include but are not limited to physical therapy, occupational therapy, audiology, health/medical services, nursing services, nutrition services, psychological services including specialized play groups or therapy sessions, counseling, speech and language assistance, special instructional services, transportation, and parenting skills development; and ongoing evaluation of the child's progress and his or her changing enrichment needs. Included are "birth to three" programs and federal, state or local programs that address the needs of slightly older children or children not otherwise eligible for "birth to three" programs.

Early Intervention for Children With Disabilities/Delays

Programs that evaluate joint motion, muscle strength and endurance, heart and lung function and the ability of people to perform activities of daily living; and utilize the therapeutic properties of exercise, heat, cold, electricity, ultraviolet, water, manipulation and massage to improve circulation, strengthen muscles, reduce pain and restore mobility to people who have been disabled by a stroke, arthritis, back or spinal cord injuries or other debilitating conditions. Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings including hospitals, private offices, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, developmental centers, home health agencies, schools and pediatric centers.

Physical Therapy

Programs that evaluate the task performance skills of individuals who may be having difficulty engaging in self-care, work, play or leisure time activities and help people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations). Occupational therapy services typically include an individualized evaluation, during which the individual/family and occupational therapist agree on the person's goals; customized intervention to improve the person's ability to perform daily activities and reach their goals; and an outcomes evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met. Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing supports for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes.

Occupational Therapy

Programs that offer individual or group therapy sessions which focus on the remediation of specific articulation problems in which speech sounds are omitted, replaced by substitute sounds or distorted; voice problems in which pitch, loudness or quality of voice is affected; or stuttering.

Speech Therapy

Programs that provide diagnostic and treatment services on an inpatient, day treatment or outpatient basis for infants and toddlers with feeding disorders. The programs are generally multidisciplinary in nature involving specialists in gastroenterology, speech therapy, occupational therapy, nutrition, behavioral psychology and nursing; and focus on treating related health problems, improving eating behaviors and oral motor skills and developing routines that can be transferred to the home environment. Parent education, family counseling and follow-up services are generally included.

Pediatric Feeding Disorders Programs

Community-based day programs for adults with developmental disabilities and/or dual diagnosis who are unable to access other day settings because of their behavior problems. The objective of these programs is to help participants modify their behavior and develop the functional skills that are required for success in an adult development center or an activity center.