Occupational, Physical, Speech Therapy for Children

Northwest Texas Hospital System Children's logoNorthwest Texas Healthcare System Children's Hospital Pediatric Therapy Services uses a multidisciplinary, family centered approach in treating children born prematurely or children with physical, neurologic or developmental disorders. Teams provide children with an individualized therapy process that incorporates physical, occupational and speech-language therapy. Because children are treated by therapists who help children transition from inpatient to outpatient therapy, they experience a continuum of care that helps maximize their opportunity for success.

Occupational Therapy

Pediatric occupational therapy at the Northwest Children's Hospital helps promote a child's ability to function at an optimal level in major life roles or activities of daily living. A child's "occupation" is centered on play, age-appropriate self-care and school-related skills. Areas addressed in pediatric occupational therapy include:

Occupational therapist working with child patient
  • Fine-motor performance for developmental skills, school and play activities
  • Sensory integration, perception and organizational skills
  • Visual perception and motor skills
  • Self-care activities/infant feeding skills
  • Developmental skills
  • Social skills and coping strategies
  • Fabrication of splints and training children in assistive devices
  • Family education and home programs

Physical Therapy

Pediatric physical therapy at Northwest Children's Hospital addresses a child's ability to perform functional movement activities, including rolling, crawling, walking and running. Among the areas addressed are:

  • Child swinging on platform working with physical therapist
    Gross motor performance/developmental assessment
  • Functional mobility and balance
  • Therapeutic exercise/strengthening
  • Serial casting and assessment of bracing needs for children's lower extremities
  • Equipment needs and modifications including crutches, walkers and wheelchairs
  • Family education and home programs

Speech-Language Pathology

Pediatric speech-language pathologists work to help improve the speech, language and feeding skills of children. Conditions and problems that may require speech-language pathology include:

  • Apraxia of Speech
    Speech therapist working with child patient
  • Autism
  • Augmentative communication
  • Brain injury
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Cleft palate
  • Developmental delays
  • Feeding and swallowing
  • Speech and language deficits
  • Social skills coping strategies
  • Voice issues.

Find a Doctor

For information or to make an appointment at Pediatric Therapy Services at Northwest Children's Hospital of Northwest Texas Healthcare System, call 806-354-1774. If you need a referral to a pediatrician affiliated with Northwest Texas Healthcare System, contact our free physician referral service at 800-887-1114.