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Writer's pictureKirstin Douglas

Which Therapy Service is Best for My Child?

Updated: May 20, 2022

There are many great therapy resources for children and families who need extra assistance to reach their personal goals. But, it can be hard to find the right help to fit your needs when you start your therapy journey. Due to long waitlists, scheduling constraints, insurance authorizations, and poor guidance, the process can be lengthy.

I hope that this list gives you reassurance and answers any questions you have about available resources in your community.

There are several common types of therapies offered to children with various exceptionalities. The most common ones include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, ABA therapy, behavioral therapy, and play therapy. These resources generally provide services at home, in the daycares, in a clinic, or online. Most general therapists do not diagnose clients with neurological or developmental disorders such as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, etc. However, most therapists can screen for signs of such disorders and refer them to a specialist for further testing. Some physicians will recommend therapy services for six months before testing to reduce the chance of over diagnosing. There are a few disorders/delays related specifically to a field, such as expressive/receptive language disorder that a clinician can diagnose, however they are not considered neurological disorders.

Physical Therapy: Pediatric physical therapy focuses on postural control, coordination, and movement. They work with children and babies of all ages. Reasons to see a pediatric physical therapist include torticollis, delayed sitting, crawling, walking, propping on surfaces more than usual, or tripping often. Of course, physical therapists work on more than this list, but this is a great starting point if you have general development concerns. Average treatment recommendations are anywhere from 1x-2x per week for 30 minutes, depending on the facility and the severity.

Occupational Therapy: Pediatric occupational therapists focus on fine motor, visual motor, motor planning, self-care, and sensory processing skills. Delays may affect your child’s ability to feed, dress, toilet, and groom themselves. Occupational therapists also help with sensory desensitization for activities such as visiting the dentist, hair cuts, and other overwhelming tasks. Average treatment recommendations are 1x-2x per week, for 30-60 minutes depending on the severity.


Speech and Language Therapy: Pediatric speech and language pathologists focus on expressive language, receptive language, articulation, and social development. Delays in these skills may affect your child’s ability to communicate their wants and needs, tolerate and express frustrations, use age-appropriate vocabulary and grammar, use intelligible speech, and participate in cooperative play with peers. Most speech and language pathologists recommend starting this form of therapy after two years of age due to a wide range of normal speech/language development during the first two years of life. Average treatment recommendations include anywhere from 1x-2x per week for 30 minutes, depending on the facility and the severity.

ABA Therapy: Applied Behavior Analysis is only available for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Most insurance companies will not reimburse for ABA services without the diagnosis. These facilities generally provide services for 4-30 hours a week, depending on the severity and the facility. ABA focuses on using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help facilitate independence in daily tasks in children that do not respond well to social motivations or who need highly structured environments to learn.

Behavioral Therapy: General behavioral therapy focuses on identifying patterns associated with negative behaviors and techniques to redirect the behaviors. Behavioral therapists work primarily with parents during sessions to teach them techniques to use at home. Some therapists travel to the house to assist with establishing new routines, while others only treat in the outpatient settings. A handful of behavioral therapists work one-on-one with children, but you should clarify when you reach out to set up services. These services are generally set up weekly.

Play Therapy: Play therapists focus on identifying and processing difficult emotions through play. Play therapy is excellent for children who experienced trauma and need help processing their feelings due to a lack of language development or comfort in speaking on the topic. Play therapy is also used for children who have severe developmental delays to help teach them how to interact and explore different toys and objects to enhance their overall motor, social, and language development. These services are generally set up weekly.

Social Skill Groups: Some communities also have social skill groups that teach children social cues and etiquette in social situations. Though occupational and speech and language therapy also work on these skills, these groups allow the opportunity for children to practice their social skills with other children in a controlled environment. Most social skill groups are set up like workshops, where the group works together for a few weeks. These services are generally not reimbursed by insurance companies.

If you think your child may need these resources, speak to your child’s primary care physician. If you have speech, language, feeding, behavioral, or sensory concerns and want to set up an evaluation or consultation, please contact us! Wekiva Kids Therapy offers free parent consultations and would be happy to help answer any questions that you may have about development.


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