FAQs
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapists help people of all ages overcome barriers. As pediatric occupational therapists, we care about what occupies your child’s time. Is there something preventing your child from doing the things she or he wants or needs to do?
Examples of daily occupations for kids include getting dressed, brushing teeth, self-feeding, playing, social interactions, following a routine, self-regulation, attention, sensory processing, participation in all school demands, homework, extracurricular activities, being part of a family unit.
Because we are private pay, you do not need to have a healthcare professional referral to join our services.
In other circumstances, a healthcare professional refers a child to occupational therapy services when there is a problem with attention, balance, strength, anxiety, coordination, or sensory processing.
How do I know if my child needs Occupational Therapy?
It is time to refer to an O.T. if your child's daily struggles are having a real negative impact on the child and family unit, at school or in another setting. Of course, children need ample time to learn new skills. However, there is a window of integration that is developmentally appropriate.
Questions? Call us for a free 15 minute Discovery Call
732-778-1641
Do you take insurance?
At this time we are a fee for service provider. We do not bill insurance. If requested, we can provide you with a superbill to submit to your insurance for out of network reimbursement. We believe this fee for service model puts the decision making back into the family and therapists hands. It allows us to pursue a treatment program dictated by the needs of the client, not what the insurance company allows.
How can nature-based OT help my child?
Two phrases that drive us are "nature connectedness" and "child development." EXPLORE Pediatric Therapy thoughtfully combines the two in our group settings, and the results speak for themselves.
Nature is a beautifully crafted and balanced "tool" to help children explore. They learn so much about themselves and the world around them when in an immersed nature setting. Using evidenced-based research and theories as our guide, nature-based occupational therapy can help your child achieve personal growth, confidence in their own risk taking/decision making, and skill attainment across a variety of areas of child development.
Bringing your child's therapy into a functional environment makes a bigger impact on skill carryover across other contexts.
Is my child a good fit for nature-based O.T.?
One large factor to consider is if your child will remain with the group and it's facilitator when in nature. Does your child tend to run off when in open spaces? This might pose a safety risk.
Does bad weather ever cancel a session?
Only if it is REALLY extreme or unsafe to be outside. With the proper gear, we still conduct our groups! Those warm summer rain storms provide some very interesting and unique sensory experiences!
What type of gear should my child wear?
Proper gear is the most important piece for success in our nature-based groups! (That means, don't wear shoes or clothes that are brand new and you don't want to get dirty. )
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Waterproof sneakers / boots - we love minimalist footwear & we also give children the option to go barefoot when appropriate
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Tall socks if wearing sneakers
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Clothing that is comfortable and not restrictive
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Waterproof sunscreen
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Hat
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Bug spray - we love spraying our clothing/shoes/gear with Permethrin 24 hours prior to group time for ultimate tick/bug protection
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Winter time layering is key for our year round kiddos! Base layer of a wool blend, mid layer of a fleece item, and a waterproof outer layer.
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Check out one of our favorite gear resources! The Outdoor School Shop: https://outdoorschoolshop.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAh9qdBhAOEiwAvxIok7KcpdFn6_q3MhFKPf2ZEJ0iPe28DIi2B_nT3hkNvZEmUnkIp-ap4BoCZuoQAvD_BwE