Pediatric physical therapy is play-based, age-appropriate therapeutic activities and exercises designed to address a child’s specific body and developmental needs. Pediatric physical therapy can address issues affecting the musculoskeletal, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. When implemented as preventative measures, PT can minimize the need for further medical intervention and/or prevent secondary developmental issues.

From the outside looking in, a physical therapy session with your child may not look like anything more than playful fun. However, with each skill your child performs, I am analyzing the quality of each movement, their posture and modifying such therapeutic exercises to best suit your child’s developmental needs. Thorough education to caregivers is also provided during each treatment session, thus creating a more uniform, team-approach to helping your child.

Physical therapy can address the following concerns many parents have regarding their child’s development:

• Gross motor milestone attainment

• Body strength

• Body coordination

• Balance

• Posture

• Biomechanics

• Muscle tone management

• Muscle flexibility

• Stability

• Sensorimotor regulation

• I do not and here is why:

  • Insurance “benefits” don’t always benefit patients and their needs. I want to be able to professionally offer services to my patients without a bias of insurance constraints.

  • I want my costs to always be transparent and consistent. Insurance can actually cost patients more with copays & coinsurance

  • Billing insurance requires more time, thus more money charged to the patient.

  • I am choosing to not play a part in a payor-driven healthcare system that I believe does not best benefit patients and their needs.

There are two different costs to expect:

• Initial evaluation: $250

• Treatment session: $150

Your initial evaluation will cost $250. During this evaluation, I will perform a comprehensive evaluation of your child in their natural environment (wherever they are most happy and active in their home). To your comfort level, a thorough history of your child’s birth and development will be taken. During this time, I will observe your child as they move and access their space. Once your child seems ready to participate, specific, age-appropriate skills will be assessed and measured. Any questions or concerns that you have will be address during the evaluation and my findings and recommendations will be shared with you as well. The initial evaluation will take 60-90 minutes or as long as your family needs for questions and education.

Each treatment session will begin with any questions or concerns that you have and a review of any home exercises you and your child have been working on. Treatments will consist of a wide variety of therapeutic exercises and activities designed specifically for your child’s unique needs. Each session will be modified to your child’s tolerance and needs on that particular day. Treatments will be recommended for 1 or 2x/month, depending on your child’s needs and family goals. Each treatment session will take 45-60 minutes.

*Consults before beginning services are free. I want to be sure my services are a good fit for your child and family’s needs before setting up services and costing you money.

*Travel radius of 25 miles around the Kalamazoo area is included in the cost of evaluation and treatment.

A consult is a free phone conversation directly with a physical therapist to determine if your child would benefit from physical therapy. I will try to answer any questions and offer guidance, as appropriate, during this conversation. It will take ~ 30 minutes of your time. This consult is free as I believe everyone should have easy access to information to help their child.

• All activities & exercises are tailored uniquely to your child and their tolerance

• I don’t push through discomfort or signs of stress; I will always respect your child’s body autonomy and personal needs

• I treat each child as a whole person, with needs and boundaries that I will respect

• As a caregiver, you are always welcome to be as involved in each session as you would like to be, thus making things more comfortable for yourself and your child

• Research shows that children receiving therapeutic services are more responsive and tolerant to home-based services

This is a tough question to answer directly because each child is unique and will respond to therapy differently. Typically, a child will need at least 6-12 months of therapy. If affordability is a factor in how long therapy services can continue, we can get creative and work out a schedule that meets your families needs.

• Clinic-based services are accessed in a clinic environment with other clinicians and patients present using a wide variety of therapy equipment and tools. These services tend to feel and be more medical.

• Home services are provided in patients’ home (indoors or out) or even out in your community at a playground or park (when appropriate) with only the patient’s family (or those invited) and therapist present. I will bring with me a few small pieces of therapy equipment and toys. These services will feel more relaxed and casual and are flexible to patient and family needs and space. In your home, I am able to make recommendations of things lying around that can be used for therapeutic benefits instead of guiding you towards making an expensive equipment purchase.