Pediatrics
Meritus Physical Therapy's pediatric outpatient therapy offers a comprehensive range of rehabilitation services to help patients birth through age 15 learn new skills or regain function after an injury. Our team of professionals, with an average of 15 years of experience, includes physical and occupational therapists and speech language pathologists. In addition, our therapists collaborate with Brook LaneTHRIVE to provide services for children with autism spectrum disorders.
How it works
Meritus Physical Therapy's staff therapists develop an individualized plan
for each child. Parents and caregivers are involved from evaluation to
discharge. Our therapists educate families and provide feedback and suggestions
so that families can continue to work on their child’s developmental
skills at home.
The duration of the program depends on the goals and needs of each child.
Individual sessions, which last from thirty to sixty minutes, focus on
improving problem areas and helping children function as independently
as possible. Some children complete therapy goals in as little as eight
weeks, while others may require longer periods of participation. Every
thirty days our therapists reassess the child’s goals and make changes as
needed to continue to advance the child’s developmental skills.
Types of Therapies
Physical Therapy
Physical therapists specialize in helping infants and children to develop
or refine their gross motor skills in order to:
- Acquire skills to meet developmental milestones
- Gain the ability to safely move and play throughout their environment
- Improve motor coordination, balance and body/spatial awareness
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy specializes in evaluation and treatment of children
with a variety of conditions. Occupational Therapists collaborate with
families to promote the development and independence of fine motor skills,
play skills, visual skills, and sensory motor skills that children need
to function across
all environments.
Pediatric Occupational Therapy focuses on:
- Improvement in handwriting skills
- Development of grasping and comprehension skills
- Engaging in play and interaction with toys and others
- Improvement in eye hand coordination
- Facilitation of independence in daily living skills
- Integration of sensory systems
Speech Language Pathology
Speech language pathologists specialize in diagnosing and treating pediatric
communication disorders in order to:
- Improve articulation
- Gain receptive and expressive language skills
- Learn social communication skills
- Improve fluency
- Improve feeding and swallowing
Aquatic Therapy
Our salt water therapy pool remains at a comfortable temperature of 92-94 degrees. Using the resistance of buoyancy of water, patients:
- Improve strength, balance and circulation
- Gain greater control of their movements that is often not achievable on land
We treat children with many conditions (but not limited to):
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Communication disorders
- Speech delay
- Cerebral Palsy
- Developmental delays (Gross and Fine Motor)
- Brachial plexus injuries
- Sensory processing disorder
- Down’s syndrome/genetic disorders
- Dyspraxia
- Gait abnormality
- Toe walking
- Torticollis and Plagiocephaly
- Feeding disorders
Recovery Through Play Activities
Depending on the diagnosis, children spend time in therapy participating
in a variety of activities:
- Drawing and handwriting helps to develop fine motor skills
- Catching and tossing bean bags to improve eye-hand coordination
- Imaginative play and social skills to develop communication and language
Ask Your Physician for a Referral
Children are referred for therapy from their
primary care physician, who is kept updated
on the patient’s progress on a monthly basis.
If you are concerned about your child’s development or school performance,
please contact your pediatrician or primary care physician to discuss
a referral to Meritus Physical Therapy Pediatrics. Telehealth visits and
before- and
after-school appointments are available. The
clinic adheres to CDC COVID-19 guidelines.
We accept all major insurance carriers as well as medical assistance from
health programs in the state of Maryland.
