
Pediatric Therapy
We work in tandem with families and pediatricians to ensure that every child from birth to age 21 with developmental, neurological, neuromuscular, orthopaedic and rehabilitative needs receives the best possible diagnostic evaluation and treatment services.
Our skilled therapists specialize in working with children with a variety of health and developmental needs. Our mission is to serve as a resource for families and their physicians and help coordinate and implement therapeutic interventions to meet your child's needs.
Through our integrated approach to care, our specialists offer personalized treatment with access to the latest rehabilitation technologies. Our pediatric therapists will design a treatment program that takes into account your child’s current challenges as well as physical, neurological or cognitive impairments, caused by:
- Developmental delays (gross and fine motor skills)
- Feeding/swallowing disorders
- Orthopaedics/gait disorders
- Sensory integration issues
- Speech delay
- Torticollis
Services
The goal of pediatric therapy is to help all children reach their height of independence and functioning. Our team offers a full range of diagnostic testing and therapy services customized for pediatric patients from birth to age 21. Our services start with a thorough assessment of physical, neurological, motor, sensory, swallowing/feeding or cognitive impairments. Your care team* will take time to answer your questions and explain the services recommended for your child. Diagnostic procedures and recommended therapy services may include:
- Screening and assessments for a wide range of diagnoses
- Education for parents and families
- Pediatric Neonatal Developmental Follow-up Clinic
- Multidisciplinary pediatric feeding therapy (for those with difficulty swallowing)
- Video-fluoroscopic assessment and treatment of swallowing difficulties
Depending upon your child’s specific needs, recommended therapy services may also include:
- Physical therapy: Helps children achieve developmental milestones, restore functions after a serious sports injury, improve mobility, increase strength and relieve pain
- Occupational therapy: Helps children reach their optimal level of independence in daily living activities, fine motor skills, visual processing and sensory processing
- Speech therapy: Assists children who are having difficulty speaking, understanding speech, using language, feeding and swallowing.
- Aquatic therapy: Benefits children who experience difficulties participating in weight bearing activities, with motor planning and/or body awareness and children with difficulties regulating themselves.
Pediatric therapy is delivered to babies and children who are currently staying in a Northwestern Medicine hospital or children being treated in an outpatient clinic.
Conditions
- Autism/PDD
- Cerebral Palsy
- Developmental Delays (Gross and Fine Motor Skills)
- Feeding/Swallowing Disorders
- Flat Head (Plagiocephaly)
- Head Tilt (Torticollis)
- Low Muscle Tone (Hypotonia)
- Sensory Integration Disorders
- Spasticity
- Speech Delay
- Stiffness
Treatments
- Biofeedback For Pediatric Incontinence
- Education for Parents and Families
- Fluency Therapy
- Interactive Metronome
- Multidisciplinary Pediatric Feeding Therapy
- Neonatal Developmental Follow-up Clinic
- Occupational Therapy
- Pediatric Aquatic Therapy
- Pediatric Surgery
- Physical Therapy
- Screenings and Assessments
- Sensory Learning Program
- Speech Therapy
- Video-Fluoroscopic Assessment
Related Resources
Learn more about pediatric rehabilitation offerings:
In the spirit of keeping you well-informed, some of the physician(s) and/or individual(s) identified are neither agents nor employees of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare or any of its affiliate organizations. They have selected our facilities as places where they want to treat and care for their private patients.