Pediatric Therapy
Helping your child reach maximum potential
Our pediatric therapy programs help children excel through physical, occupational and speech-language therapy.
We offer therapy for children from birth to age 21 with a wide range of needs. Your child's needs are unique, so our highly trained clinical team will create a specialized plan of care that is just right for your child. We will share your child's progress with you throughout his/her care, because your involvement is vital to your child's success in therapy.
Our approach to care
SSM Health Physical Therapy understands that what you’re experiencing with your child is difficult; we want you to know that you're not alone. We are committed to partnering with you in caring for one of the most important individuals in your life, your child.
Conditions we treat
We treat a variety of developmental, genetic, neuromuscular and orthopedic conditions. Our goal is to enhance your child's participation in family, community and school activities based on his or her age and development, as well as addressing the long-term goals you have for your child.
Our services
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Our physical therapy program can benefit children with conditions including:
- Brain trauma and injuries
- Cerebral palsy – a disorder affecting a child’s muscle tone, movement or posture
- Cranial asymmetries
- Developmental delays
- Orthopedic injuries to the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles
- Genetic syndromes – Down syndrome (which can cause developmental and intellectual delays) and muscular dystrophy (which can impact muscle mass and strength)
- Gross motor skills dysfunction – deficits including muscle strength, coordination and balance
- Headaches
- Hypertonia or hypotonia – abnormally high or weak muscle tone, respectively
- Post-concussion symptoms – headaches, dizziness and ringing in the ears
- Post-fracture care
- Scoliosis
- Spina bifida – a birth defect affecting the spinal cord
- Sports-related pain
- Sprains and strains
- Toe walking
- Torticollis – a condition causing the head to twist to one side
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Our pelvic health physical therapists offer a wide range of child-centered care services for the treatment of bowel and bladder issues. Our treatments are specifically designed to fit your child’s individualized needs. We understand there can be more than one root cause to your child’s symptoms and address these symptoms to give your child the best holistic care available.
Our treatment plans are focused on meeting your child’s specific functional goals. We use interactive biofeedback that teaches your child to coordinate his/her pelvic floor muscles all while engaging in fun and interactive games.
Our pelvic health therapists look beyond pelvic floor muscle function to identify other contributing factors to your child’s symptoms such as toileting posture, toileting habits, diet, fluid intake and much more. At SSM Health Physical Therapy, you can be sure your child is receiving inclusive and patient-centered care.
Our pelvic health physical therapists can provide treatment for:
- Constipation
- Frequent urinary tract infections
- Incomplete bladder emptying
- Urinary urgency
- Urinary incontinence
- Bowel incontinence
- Enuresis – involuntary urination
- Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction
- Pain with urination
- Pain with bowel movements
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Our therapists assist children in playing, learning and building the skills and confidence to thrive in their environments. Our occupational therapy program can benefit children with:
- Attention deficit disorders – disorders causing difficulties with behavior such as focusing, following instruction and completing tasks
- Autism spectrum disorders – disorders causing difficulties with social communication and behavior
- Cerebral palsy – a disorder affecting a child’s muscle tone, movement and/or posture
- Fine motor skill delays – includes using pencils, puzzles and dressing
- Genetic syndromes – Down syndrome (which can cause developmental and intellectual delays) and muscular dystrophy (which can impact muscle mass and strength)
- Oral aversion and feeding skills
- Orthotic and adaptive equipment
- Poor posture and body mechanics
- Sensory processing disorders and self-regulation
- Upper extremity strength and endurance
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Our speech-language pathologists offer treatment programs specifically designed to treat all aspects of communication, from your child’s first words to the ability to socialize and interact with peers. Our therapy program can benefit children with conditions including:
- Apraxia of speech — a disorder causing limited and difficulty speech
- Articular and phonological disorders which cause difficulty producing sounds
- Auditory processing disorders
- Autism spectrum disorders which can cause difficulties with social communication and behavior
- Cognitive and attention impairments
- Craniofacial abnormalities such as cleft lip and palate
- Delayed speech milestones
- Fluency disorders such as stuttering
- Genetic syndromes such as Down syndrome (which can cause developmental and intellectual delays)
- Hearing impairments
- Listening skills
- Neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, stroke and traumatic brain injury
- Reasoning and memory skills
- Receptive and expressive language disorders
- Social pragmatic communication disorders
What to expect
We offer kid-friendly treatment areas tailored to your child's needs. From specialized pediatric equipment to comfortable, homelike furnishings, our centers are designed to engage, motivate and encourage your child through the therapy process.
We use proven treatment and therapy methods to help your child achieve the best outcome. Our therapists deliver therapy in one-on-one settings, using play-based activities.
SSM Health Physical Therapy is a proud affiliate of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon at our outpatient locations in:
- Dardenne Prairie in St. Charles County
- Ferguson in North County
- Creve Coeur in West County
At these locations, we are able to emphasize the multidiscipline approach including Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy. These specific locations are better suited to address therapy needs associated with autism, handwriting, feeding difficulties, sensory issues, social skills development, articulation disorders, cleft lip/palate, language delays, oral motor difficulties, and voice, fluency, and vocal cord dysfunction.
