Specialties - HealthPRO Pediatrics

We specialize in various types of therapies and programs within the clinic, depending on your needs. Below is a list of specialties provided at our Rancho Bernardo clinic.

Beckman Oral Motor

The Beckman Oral Motor Assessment and Intervention Program was developed by Debra Beckman, a practicing speech-language pathologist in 1975. The Beckman Oral Motor Protocol is an intervention that utilizes assisted movement and stretch reflexes to activate muscle contraction, build strength and improve range of motion in the lips, jaw, tongue and soft palate. It assesses the response to pressure, movement, range, and strength, and variety and control of movement. It is very beneficial for children that cannot follow verbal commands due to motor planning and/or a cognitive deficit. This approach can also be used with children as a highly effective tool for improving oral motor skills to support feeding and speech development.
Issues such as tooth grinding, drooling and hyper/hyposensitivity may also be addressed by the Beckman protocol. Techniques that are used are presented in a playful, gentle manner, so that all children feel respected. Emphasis is placed on providing parent training so that the techniques can be carried over into the home for maximum benefit. HealthPRO Pediatrics has both speech therapists and occupational therapists trained in this assessment and intervention approach.

Handwriting without tears

Handwriting Without Tears is a developmentally appropriate, multi-sensory handwriting instruction program for all learning styles in grades K-5. It uses hands-on, multi-sensory materials and was designed in such a way that it introduces shapes, numbers, and letters in an order that matches the progression of children’s developmental abilities so that it is easier for them to practice, learn, and remember. An occupational therapist will lead these sessions focusing on manuscript or cursive handwriting, as needed. The sessions will emphasis hand strength, pencil grip, letter formation, appropriate sizing, spacing, line orientation, and writing speed.

Hanen

The ‘Hanen Approach’ was created to address research indicating that parental involvement is crucial to a child’s intervention program. The approach advocates that the natural environment is the best way for children to learn, providing them with opportunities to communicate with key people in their lives. Parent and caregiver education is a primary focus of the Hanen Approach. During individual sessions, a Hanen-certified speech-language pathologist utilizes It Takes Two to Talk, a Hanen program designed for parents of children with language delays, to build language skills in a one-on-one setting. Therapists model naturalistic language and communication techniques, ask that parents observe and participate in therapy sessions, provide the parents with feedback to improve interactions with their child, and give the parents activities and techniques to use at home.

Kauffman Approach — Kaufman Approach for Apraxia

Kaufman Approach for Apraxia

The Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol (K-SLP) is a treatment approach developed by Nancy Kaufman for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and other speech sound disorders to help children become vocal communicators. It is based on the fact that speech production is a fine motor skill and that full words are often difficult to master for children who struggle to speak. This program supports the child to simplify words and then build on their word approximations until they are able to produce the actual target vocabulary. HealthPRO Pediatrics has therapists that are trained in this program and can use these techniques if they are appropriate for your child.

Listening Program

The Listening Program is a method to train or re-train the ear and brain to process sound without distortion. It is based on the work of Alfrend Tomatis who believes that the quality of one’s listening ability affects spoken and written language, level of alertness, level of creativity, and the ability to focus. It’s an effective approach that helps improve brain function, reduce stress, and trains the brain in the auditory skills needed to effectively listen, learn, and communicate. This program is based on the study of Psycholinguistics, which is the psychological study of hearing. The program uses applied psychoacoustics to enhance the natural abilities inherent within musical structure. It enhances one’s perception to the full spectrum of sound, which is not typical in everyday life. Listener Benefits: Empirical evidence from scientific studies has demonstrated that almost anyone can benefit from TLP, however it is especially beneficial for those individuals experiencing difficulties in listening, sensory, learning, language, reading, attention, memory, social communication, behavior, cognitive, and auditory processing. Access the research on TLP at The Listening Program website

PROMPT

PROMPT is an acronym for Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets. The technique is a tactile-kinesthetic approach that uses touch cues to a patient’s articulators (jaw, tongue, lips) to manually guide them through a targeted word, phrase, or sentence. The technique develops motor control and the development of proper oral muscular movements, while eliminating unnecessary muscle movements, such as jaw sliding and inadequate lip rounding.
PROMPT therapy is appropriate for a wide range of patients with communication disorders. The most common patients have motor speech disorders or articulation disorders. HealthPRO Pediatrics has therapists trained in this approach and can use this method to support your child’s communication if appropriate.

Sensory Processing / Sensory Integration

What is Sensory Integration?

The sensory integration theory and intervention methods researched and developed by A. Jean Ayres, PhD, OTR/L, provide a neuroscience-based approach to addressing sensory integration concerns. Sensory integration is the ability to take in sensory information from the world around us and interpret this information effectively so that we may function optimally throughout the day. While we generally learn about five senses; taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing; there are actually additional senses that are very important to our ability to function in the world. Some senses tell us the position of our bodies and other senses help us keep our balance or remain upright against the pull of gravity. The sensory systems are the gateways of information to and from the brain and body. Sensory processing disorder (SPD) occurs when the nervous system has difficulty regulating, processing, and interpreting information from one or more of the senses. This may affect one’s ability to function optimally in all environments, and these difficulties can adversely affect a child’s social skills, attention and focus, academic performance, and motor development.

HealthPRO Pediatrics occupational therapists use sensory integration approaches when providing intervention so as to address the underlying sensory and motor foundation that help a child learn new skills more easily. Our approach is very individualized to the child’s interests and therapeutic needs. HealthPRO Pediatrics’ mission is to provide a family centered approach ensuring that the child’s family is actively involved with ongoing communication between parent and therapist.

Signs of a Sensory Issue:

Overly sensitive or under reactive to touch, movement, sights, or sounds
Unusually high or low activity level
Easily distracted; poor attention to tasks
Delays in speech, motor skills, or academic achievement
Coordination problems; appears clumsy or awkward
Poor body awareness
Difficulty learning new tasks or figuring out how to play with unfamiliar toys
Difficulty with tasks that require using both hands at the same time
Appears to be disorganized most of the time
Difficulty with transitions between activities or environments
Immature social skills
Impulsivity or lack of self-control
Difficulty calming self once “wound up”

Social Learning

Our speech-pathologists are well trained in the area of social pragmatic skills. We promote social language growth on an individual basis at HealthPRO Pediatrics. We use many of Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking Curriculum tools to guide our treatment of social language skills. Our goal is to help students comprehend social concepts relative to and cognitively appropriate for their daily living skills. Our facility allows us to provide many opportunities to practice these skills in a natural way. Due to our friendly staff and much of our space being an open environment, social opportunities arise organically throughout treatment sessions. When it is possible and appropriate, we engage in social opportunities with other children with similar cognitive levels and goals. Examples of these social opportunities include: playing games, joining in play, asking others to play, working on and completing a task together, and formulating a group plan, just to name a few. Social skills are a key factor in a child’s ability to positively participate in daily activities both as individuals and family units. We recognize the value and the importance of social language skills and are prepared to support and foster the growth of such necessary skills.

Talk Tools

Talk Tools is an oral motor placement therapy approach developed by Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson. The approach incorporates sensory and tactile input, by using a range of specifically designed tools. The multi sensory approach consists of a range of hierarchies and programs to develop and strengthen key motor skills for speech production and feeding. The Talk Tools approach allows family members/care givers to be actively engaged in treatment. A weekly home program is established with the therapist and given to the family member/care giver to do at home. HealthPRO Pediatrics has therapists on staff that are trained in this approach and can incorporate this program into your child’s session if appropriate.

TEACCH

TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication related handicapped Children) is an evidence-based approach for teaching individuals of all ages and skill levels with autism spectrum disorders. TEACCH was developed at University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill in the early 1970s by Eric Schopler and colleagues. The TEACCH method can be implemented in school, home and community environments. TEACCH methodology is based on the research that individuals with autism are predominantly visual learners, so intervention strategies focus on physical and visual structure, schedules, work systems and task organization. Individualized systems aim to address difficulties with communication, organization, generalization, concepts, sensory processing, change and relating to others. At the core of TEACCH is the idea of structured teaching. Structured teaching is comprised of 3 components: physical organization, scheduling, and teaching methods.
HealthPRO Pediatrics has on staff a licensed Occupational Therapist who is a Certified TEACCH Practitioner that can provide evaluation, treatment and consultation using TEACCH strategies. Treatment and consultation using the TEACCH methodology provides visual and physical structure that can very significantly improve independence with functional and academic tasks in the home, community and school environment. At HealthPRO Pediatrics the TEACCH methodology is used collaboratively with sensory processing techniques to assist children and adolescents with focus, attention, task completion, emotional regulation, and overall functional independence throughout their day at home, school and in the community.
If you are interested in an assessment to determine what sensory supports and visual structure are needed to support your child at home or school, please make the patient service representative aware when you call to schedule your child’s evaluation.

Torticollis and Plagiocephaly

Torticollis is a musculoskeletal condition which is characterized by a head tilt or preference in rotation of an infant’s head and neck. The word “torticollis” itself comes from two Latin root words, “tortus” and “collum,” that together mean “twisted neck.” This condition, sometimes called wryneck, is relatively common in infants. In general, torticollis is classified as either congenital (present at birth) or acquired (occurring later in infancy or childhood). By far the most common type is congenital muscular torticollis (CMT). Although children have this when they are born, parents may not notice it until children are several weeks old, as they start to gain more control of their head movement. Congenital muscular torticollis responds very well to physical therapy, especially when treatment is started early. A physical therapist can evaluate and begin treatment for CMT in newborns. Treatment includes stretching, strengthening, positioning, and family education. Early detection and treatment is recommended. Often times CMT is associated with plagiocephaly. Plagiocephaly is a common and treatable condition in which there is asymmetry in the shape of the skull and facial bones. In infants that have CMT, their neck rotation preference causes excessive pressure on one side of the skull which causes asymmetry in the head shape. Early detection and treatment of plagiocephaly is key as the average window for treatment is 4-12 months. HealthPRO Pediatrics has licensed physical therapists who are experienced in congenital muscular torticollis and plagiocephaly. The physical therapists will be able to evaluate and recommend the appropriate treatment plan for you and your child.

Zones of Regulation

This program is designed for children with social and self-regulation challenges. This program includes fun learning activities to help children recognize when they are in the different zones (moods and states of alertness) as well as lessons on how to use strategies or tools to regulate the zone they are in. Calming techniques and thinking strategies are explored along with sensory supports so each child has a “toolbox” of strategies from which he/she can choose to help self-regulate for better focus and attention, emotional control, and improved peer social interactions. The Four Zones of Regulation: The Red Zone is used to describe extremely heightened states of alertness and intense emotions. A person may be elated or experiencing anger, rage, explosive behavior, devastation, or terror when in the Red Zone. The Yellow Zone is also used to describe a heightened state of alertness and elevated emotions; however, one has some control when they are in the Yellow Zone. A person may be experiencing stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, the wiggles, or nervousness when in the Yellow Zone. The Green Zone is used to describe a calm state of alertness. A person may be described as happy, focused, content, or ready to learn when in the Green Zone. This is the zone where optimal learning occurs. The Blue Zone is used to describe low states of alertness and down feelings, such as when one feels sad, tired, sick, or bored.