Pediatric Therapies at TLC

TLC provides pediatric occupational, physical, and speech therapy to all children requiring therapy supports. Our multi-disciplinary team evaluates and treats children from birth to age 12 in our early learning program, in our Center, in homes, and in the community.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all children enrolled in TLC’s early learning program receive therapies?

No. Only children with a diagnosed therapeutic need receive services. If a teacher, caregiver, or therapist in the classroom suspects that the child would benefit from additional supports, the team will recommend an observation by the classroom therapist. If after observation, there are still concerns, the team (caregivers, teachers, therapists) may meet to discuss next steps, including a formal observation.

Are all pediatric therapy services covered?

TLC accepts almost every major form of insurance, including Medicaid. If insurance won’t cover a child’s therapy or if the family does not have insurance, TLC accepts self-pay and has scholarship funding on a first-come and need-based availability. Scholarship funding comes from grants and donors.

If my child is not enrolled in a TLC classroom are they still able to receive therapy services?

TLC provides therapies to children in the community from birth up to age 12. We accept referrals from doctors and caregivers and can help get you started with the intake process.

How long will my child need therapy?

This depends on the child, their diagnosis, and the goals for therapy decided by the caregivers, the therapist(s), and the child’s doctor if they’re involved in the treatment plan. Some children may have a goal that can be met in six months to a few years and then will be discharged from therapy, whereas other children may have chronic conditions that will require ongoing therapy. Upon graduation from TLC at 12 years old, children with chronic conditions will be referred to new providers.

What’s the benefit of therapists on campus if my child is typically developing?

The number one benefit is that all TLC therapists are highly-trained in working with young children, are trained in the Pyramid Plus approach to social-emotional development just like TLC teachers, and most have years of experience working in classrooms. A therapist may be working with a child on motor-skill development when your child comes over to play, too. While the therapist is working specifically with the therapy child, they will still engage your child, facilitate play between the children, and provide additional nurturing and supervision during classroom activities. When on campus, you might not be able to tell who is a teacher and who is a therapist. You’ll see therapists helping children pedal tricycles around the playground, learn to hold a pencil, eat their lunch, interact with peers, and much more.

Overview

Our specialized pediatric therapists have a variety of backgrounds and areas of expertise. We take into account the unique needs and nature of our clients and their families during both assessment and treatment of a child. We provide evaluation and treatment for children up to 12 years old with a wide range of needs. Our therapies are provided in a variety of settings, including center-based and in homes, daycare providers, and out in the community.

Therapy can minimize the effects of disease, injury, congenital disability, developmental delay and deprivation. Our therapy provides a play-and routine-based means to learn new skills, along with home program ideas to incorporate into daily activities. Caregivers are integral to the treatment process. We assist in coordinating services and funding for our clients. We work with insurance companies, individual payment plans and community agencies.

TLC preschooler Arath, born with cerebral palsy, works on learning to walk with his Physical Therapist, Jessica. TLC combines pediatric therapy with early childhood education for a comprehensive and holistic approach to positive and healthy child development.

TLC provides pediatric:

We take into account the unique medical, motor and language needs of each child we serve. Children referred to our program come with a wide range of medical diagnoses including (but not limited to): cerebral palsy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, cleft lip and palate, dysfunction of sensory integration (difficulties interpreting and responding to sensory information), and children identified with poor growth and nutrition (failure to thrive).

Our therapists each have unique skill sets including special handling skills, newborn experience, knowledge in working with children with hearing problems, expertise in specialized seating equipment, breastfeeding, and alternative and assistive communication (AAC) to address the individual needs of each child. We work collaboratively with a number of community partners including the Boulder County Assuring Better Child Health and Development (ABCD) Partnership, Community Infants & Children Collaborative to Community Partnership, and the Northern Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition.

In our community, TLC Learning Center's Therapeutic Services is the only multidisciplinary practice to serve the Medicaid population.

Registration

The first step if you’re interested in pediatric therapy services from TLC is to call our Therapeutic Services Manager, Shari Karmen, for an intake at (303) 776-1373 x301. For the intake, Shari will gather information on what service the family needs, will check availability in our therapist’s schedules, and can check to see if we’re able to work with the family’s insurance provider and/or if the family will need to request financial assistance. If the family needs a service we don’t provide, Shari may be may be able to refer the family to another local provider.