Welcome to our clinic! We are so glad you are here!
ARRIVING
You can park anywhere in the building’s parking lot. Parking is free. We are on the 2nd floor. You can walk up the stairs or take the elevator in the middle of the building. We are located on the right, backside of the building in both suites 207 & 209.
Ms. Sam and another therapist will be waiting for you in the lobby of Suite 207.
Did you arrive early?
There is lots to do in our waiting area! We have games, toys & children’s books. Parents are welcome to enjoy our bookcase with a variety of books and magazines about parenting, occupational therapy, the sensory system, and some lighter reading.
We keep water, tea, coffee & snacks in our kitchenette (right off the lobby) that you and your child are welcome to enjoy whenever you visit us! We want you to be comfortable here & we know everyone is happier when they aren’t hungry!
HELLo & The Tour
After everyone is introduced, the tour will begin! We will ask you and your child to remove your shoes for the tour or to avoid walking on the mats. Kids roll, lay and play on our very high-quality padded mats, it is important to us to keep them very clean. Plus, let’s be honest, “no shoes” is always more fun!
Children At Play has 4 play gyms, 2 restrooms, and 1 kitchenette.
Play gym two is our largest gym with a suspended obstacle course that we reconfigure every week.
Play gym one is the best space for swinging, crafts, games, and grounded obstacle courses.
Play gym three is set up for our younger and shorter friends to get their just-right challenge with lots of open space; perfect for games, motor skill fun & sensory play.
Play gym four is in our second suite, 209, making it a more private & quiet play gym. It has a large open space ideal for gross motor challenges and social groups.
We will let them explore a bit during the tour with the promise that after the tour they will get to play even more!
Play Gym 4 is where you will get to spend your time during your first appointment!
Assessment and Interview
After the tour, your child will get to play in gym #4 with a therapist who will guide them through an array of age-appropriate activities designed to evaluate their balance, coordination, fine motor skills, dexterity, ability to plan and organize their movement, reflexes, and ability to follow directions. For example, through a fun craft, we will assess a variety of fine motor skills. Gross motor skills can be assessed as they play on the obstacle course. Emotional regulation will be assessed during a game.
While your child plays, you will be in the office with Ms. Sam discussing your child’s strengths and challenges and your concerns. There is a large glass window connecting the office & the gym so you will be able to see your child while we are talking.
Prior to your appointment, you will be given documents to complete, to help us learn about your child. On the documents, we ask detailed questions about your child’s medical history, motor skills, sensory processing, eating habits, hygiene routines, sleep, emotional regulation, social interactions, and their likes/dislikes for activities involving movement and touch. We will be reviewing those documents together and may ask for additional details. Please feel free to bring your own list of concerns and questions. This is your time to tell us about your child and your family’s concerns & needs. We are very aware that no form can capture all the uniqueness of a child, so please know we are open to talking about everything you want to discuss.
Finally, Ms. Sam will review your child’s assessment with the other therapist for a few minutes. (Many parents use this time for a bathroom or coffee break.) Then Ms. Sam will make a recommendation for the best plan of treatment for your child.
Some of the fun that we have during our therapy appointments.
FAQ:
How DO YOU RECOMMEND I TELL to MY child about THE upcoming Consultation:
Every child who comes to our clinic is so different and has a vast variety of strengths and weaknesses. Generally, when children at here for their first appointment we tell them they are here to “play and see how their bodies work.” We want to see how strong they are and what types of things they like to do. You can use our website, Instagram, or Facebook to show your child pictures of different activities and equipment that we use in our clinic.
Our main goal for this first appointment (and every appointment) is for kids to have fun and want to come back! So let us know if there is something we can do to make this better for your family. Our appointments are fun— and we aim for every child to enjoy their time here!
How should i prepare MY CHILD for the OT Consultation?
You can prepare your child for the consultation by letting them know what to expect: they will meet a couple of therapists, take a tour of a play gym, and then they will get to play and explore the kid’s gym. Let them know that after the tour they will play with the therapist while you and the adults talk separately.
Do I need to Bring Anything to the OT Consultation?
You do not need to bring anything with you but your child. We will have your New Patient Forms that you completed online at least 48 hours before your consultation. If you’d like, you are welcome to bring any additional assessments that you feel give an accurate picture of your child or a list of your questions and concerns that you want to make sure get discussed.
What should my child wear?
Your child should wear anything that they are comfortable moving in! They may be hanging from bars, getting on their hands and knees, jumping, and swinging in all different directions! Restrictive clothing like tight jeans will not allow us to see the child’s full range of motion and movement patterns properly. Shoes don’t matter because they will be taking them off.
If you have any questions that we didn’t answer here, please email us. (That’s where the FAQ section came from!) Our appointments are always flexible and we will do what works for your child. We want you and your child to be comfortable. Sometimes this means everyone staying in the same room, not doing any assessment during the first appointment, cutting our appointment short, or meeting you at the car for your consultation. We meet our families where they are and grow from there.
