Pediatric Occupational & Physical Therapy
Just like social and emotional health, physical health is crucial to a child’s wellbeing. Our Occupational and Physical Therapy programs provide specialized treatment and support to children and families to bolster health and independence.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy helps children develop motor, social, self-regulation, and self-help skills to support success and independence in daily activities, play, learning, and relationships. It provides individualized strategies for children who need extra support to reach developmental milestones.
A key part of Occupational Therapy is partnering with families. Therapists provide strategies, education, and recommendations to help children thrive at home and in the community. When parents and caregivers are engaged in sessions and practice skills at home, children make the greatest progress.
We support children with many different needs and diagnoses—some of which are listed here. Your child does not need a diagnosis to be seen.
- Fine Motor needs
- Gross Motor (Balance and Coordination) needs
- Sensory Defensiveness needs
- Self-Help/Activities of Daily Living needs
- Emotion Regulation needs
- Social Skill needs
- Visual Motor Integration needs
- ADD/ADHD
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Genetic/Neurological Syndromes (ex. Fragile X, Rett’s Syndrome, Prader-Willi)
- Cerebral Palsy
- Down Syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
- Dyspraxia
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy at Old Mill helps infants, children and teens (ages 0-18) build motor skills, decrease pain, improve functionality, increase strength and mobility, and gain greater confidence and independence. We treat a wide range of diagnoses including:
- Brachial plexus injury
- Cerebral palsy
- Congenital heart disease
- Developmental coordination disorder
- Genetic syndromes with motor function impairment (e.g., Down syndrome, Rett syndrome)
- Gross motor delay
- Motor impairment related to cancer
- Muscular dystrophy
- Orthopedic injuries (<10 yrs. of age)
- Toe walking
- Torticollis
Meet our Therapists
Learn about Physical and Occupational Therapy team members.
Need to Make a Payment?
Information for Parents & Caregivers
Getting Started with our Services
To begin the process, you can either ask your child’s pediatrician to send a referral to Old Mill Center or call our Front Desk directly at (541) 757-8068 to self-refer.
You’ll receive intake paperwork to complete, which helps us learn about your child’s strengths and areas of need. This packet also gathers insurance and contact information and includes release forms for other providers or schools.
Once we’ve received your completed paperwork, your child will be placed on our waitlist for an evaluation (timeframes vary). When an opening becomes available, we’ll contact you to schedule your appointment.
About Your Child’s Initial Evaluation
Evaluations last one hour and are typically held in person at our Corvallis or Albany locations. Our goal is to get to know your child and work with you to create a personalized treatment plan and goals. Please note that occupational therapists cannot provide an official diagnosis that is not already given by your child’s physician.
During the evaluation, the therapist will engage your child in skill assessment activities and talk with you about your concerns and the child’s functioning at home and school. At the end, the therapist will share recommendations about continuing therapy and, if appropriate, help to schedule ongoing sessions.
Before your first session, you’ll receive a written evaluation report by email.
Therapeutic Sessions
In each therapeutic session, your child’s therapist will introduce activities and strategies designed to help your child build their skills. Activities and interventions are individualized to your child’s unique needs. Sessions take place in a therapeutic room with both your child and you, the parent or caregiver. Your participation is encouraged so we can collaborate and demonstrate activities to be practiced at home in between sessions.
We respect families’ time and aim to start and end each session promptly. Each 1-hour session includes 50 minutes of therapy and 10 minutes for documentation and reviewing your child’s home program. Sessions are primarily held in-person at Old Mill’s Corvallis or Albany locations.
Outcomes & Discharge
The goal of engaging in therapy is for your child’s skill level, development and behavior to improve over the course of treatment. During sessions, the therapist will share observations, recommendations, and progress toward goals and eventual discharge. The length of therapy varies based on your child’s needs and will be discussed during sessions.
While some children may have long-term needs depending on their diagnosis, our therapeutic services are designed to be short-term, focusing on strategies and interventions that support your child during a specific stage of development.
Insurance & Billing
Old Mill Center will bill your medical insurance, as available, for all evaluations and therapy sessions. Your insurance plan will determine whether a deductible or copayment is due at the time of treatment. We accept payment by debit/credit card, cash, or check.
Some insurance providers may limit the number of approved visits your child receives for a service. We work with families to find the best solutions for their child’s care. Along with requesting re-authorizations from insurers, we offer sliding-scale out-of-pocket fees when treatment isn’t fully covered.
Illness & Cancellations
Please do not bring your child to an appointment if they are sick, have recently been ill, or have been exposed to someone with symptoms of a contagious illness. While we understand that all children get sick from time to time, we aim to limit exposure to others. To reschedule or cancel an appointment, please contact our Front Desk at (541) 757-8068 with as much notice as possible.
Learn More About Our Programs Today
.
