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My child has difficulties with new people and places. What can I do to prepare him/her for the evaluation?

You can decide how much you want to tell your child depending on his/her age and level of understanding. It is important you explain that the person your child will be “playing” with will be asking him/her to do several things to get information about what he/she is good at what things might be more “tricky”. Some of the activities might involve playing games, moving his/her body on equipment, or sitting at a table to talk, color, or build with blocks. We disguise the activities as “play” and most children ask when they will be able to come back! It might be helpful to plan a special reward for after the appointment so that your child will be motivated and interested in doing his/her best. 

How long does therapy last?

The length of therapy is different for every child. It usually depends on how many areas of concern there are, the rate of progress, and how much carryover of recommendations occurs across settings. Communication between parents and your child’s therapist is also very important so that the therapy program can be adjusted as needed and specific skill areas can be targeted when needed.

How is occupational therapy different from physical therapy and speech therapy?

Occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) are very much related to each other, as they both fulfill the purpose of maintaining the health and fitness of the individual, and graduate coursework is similar as they both involve anatomy, neuroanatomy, and kinesiology. Both OT and PT strive to cover all the aspects of human health – psychological, mental, and physical. 

While occupational therapy focuses on developing or restoring functional skills in daily life, physical therapy focuses on developing or restoring mobility. With children, OTs are often seen working on areas such as improving attention, motor planning and coordination with the body, social skills, tolerating different sensations, and self-help skills. PTs are often seen working with children on improving balance, strength and endurance, walking mechanics, and joint range of motion.

Occupational therapy and physical therapy are also very much related to speech-language therapy. OTs and PTs often carry over speech and language goals being addressed by the speech-language pathologist and both occupational and speech therapy can address feeding challenges, play skills, social skills, and executive functioning. Speech-language pathologists have a more specialized field of care, but there are many ways in which the practice of speech-language pathology can benefit from the assistance of occupational therapists and physical therapists.  

What is the difference between school-based therapy and private/clinic-based therapy?

School-based therapy is designed to enhance the student’s ability to fully access and be successful in the learning environment. This might include: 

  • reading/spelling words on assignments
  • planning and organizing when composing written work
  • moving within the school building or using playground equipment
  • working on handwriting mechanics and legibility
  • improving fine motor skills required to use classroom tools
  • learning strategies to help the child organize his/her locker or desk
  • working with the teacher to modify the classroom and/or adapt learning materials to facilitate successful participation
  • seating and positioning within the classroom and school environment

Private/clinic-based therapy can address all skills needed to function across environments including:

  • activities of daily living/self-help skills
  • home routines, transitions, and self-help skills
  • play and motor skill development
  • language and communication skills
  • sensory processing and modulation
  • social skills
  • walking, balance, and positioning
  • feeding skills
  • visual perception and visual motor skills
My child has sensory processing challenges and his/her school therapist seems unwilling to address this area. What should I do?

In the school setting, the focus of therapy is on the child’s ability to function in the educational environment. As long as the child’s educational needs are being appropriately met, the school therapist is operating within his/her scope of practice and training. 

Each therapist, using professional judgment, evaluation data, and expected outcomes or goals, selects a particular “frame of reference” which will guide the intervention. You are encouraged to discuss your concerns with the school therapist to help you understand the reasoning used to guide the intervention. It is important to note that the school environment might have limitations in terms of equipment available, but this depends on the specific school setting. It is much more common for therapists in the school setting to utilize sensory “strategies” as traditional sensory integration therapy techniques may not be feasible or appropriate.

Does Therapy Hurt?

No, therapy will not hurt your child! We, like you, want your child to be as comfortable and safe as possible during session.  Our therapists use child-led play activities as much as possible.  In addition, we adjust the demands of tasks so that the child can be successful and that he/she will not feel frustrated or overwhelmed.

Why Choose Skills on The Hill?

There are many practices in the DMV to choose from when deciding where to go for therapy.  After 25 years of working with families, we have compiled the below 8 reasons that set Skills on the Hill apart from the rest:

  1. SOTH clinicians are willing and able to consult with and collaborate with outside professionals to increase the impact of our therapy across settings.
  2. We work with caregivers as a TEAM and consider goals that are not just important for the child but also the family.
  3. SOTH clinicians use a “whole child” care model.
  4. SOTH clinicians are cross-trained across settings (school-based therapy, early intervention, and outpatient/medical model) and bring different perspectives to the care of our patients.
  5. All staff members go through a very thorough recruitment process to ensure we have staff that align with our values and mission.
    • screenings
    • multiple interviews
    • background checks
    • clinical case studies
    • reference checks
  6. Clinical staff are provided with weekly mentoring and professional development opportunities, ongoing clinical competency training, and then required to share clinical knowledge with peers so they can build into one another.
  7. SOTH offices are comfortable, professional, and spacious.  Clinicians have access to high quality therapy equipment and resources.
  8. SOTH verifies all prospective patients’ insurance plans before services commence and submits to all out of network plans on behalf of the parent/caregiver.
How Do I Pay For Treatment?

All families will create an account in our online portal in order to complete paperwork and so that payments can be made electronically.  Some families will be expected to pay co-pays or co-insurance at the time of service with our front desk staff.  Others may be responsible for a balance after Skills on the Hill first submits to insurance and receives payment directly from the insurance. 

Skills on the Hill requires all patients to have a credit card on file, even if we are in-network with your insurance. This is because insurance will not cover fees associated with late cancellations or missed appointments. 

What Conditions Can Be Treated With Pediatric Therapy?

Skills on The Hill works with children who may have some of the below conditions, including but not limited to:

  • Autism
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Behavioral issues
  • Communication difficulties
  • Down Syndrome
  • Dysgraphia
  • Dyspraxia
  • Balance and gait issues
  • Hypotonia
  • Torticollis
  • Muscular weakness
  • Sensory processing challenges
  • Feeding disorders
  • Visual impairment
  • Congenital deformities
  • Developmental disabilities
  • Brain injuries
  • Attention challenges
  • And more!

If you don’t see your child’s condition on this list, please feel free to contact our clinic today to speak with us.

Appointment Scheduling

Our scheduling process is easy!  All new patients must first click the red GET STARTED button to submit insurance information so we can first verify your benefits.  Once this step is completed and the benefits are reviewed on the Financial Agreement, we will have you complete intake paperwork and then get your child scheduled for an appointment.  

We have convenient appointment times available to meet the demands of your child’s busy schedule.  Once your child begins therapy at Skills on the Hill, sessions are usually recurring at the same time every week.  This makes it easy on families so the schedule will always be the same. And if you need to cancel a session, we work very hard to reschedule so that your child can continue to make progress toward therapy goals.

What If You Don’t Accept My Insurance/I Don’t Have Insurance?

For patients who do not have insurance or are considered out-of-network, we offer a self-pay rate, due at the time of service. Payment can be made on our portal or in-person with a credit card or HSA or FSA card.

Insurance Information

In most cases, insurance will cover a portion of treatment costs, as long as your benefits cover OT, PT, and speech language therapy AND services are considered medically necessary. 

We understand navigating insurance can be confusing, so Skills on The Hill will contact your insurance company and verify your coverage based on your policy as a courtesy to you! In addition, if you do have benefits, we will also file claims directly to insurance – on your behalf – to take the worrying and confusion off your hands.

For more information, visit our insurance page, and please do not hesitate to contact our Washington, DC or Arlington, VA pediatric therapy office with questions.

How Long Should I Plan On My Child’s Therapy Appointment Lasting?

In terms of the initial evaluation, times directly with the child will vary by service:

  • Physical Therapy evaluation 1 hour
  • Speech-Language evaluation 1 hour
  • Occupational Therapy evaluation 1.5 to 2.0 hours

Following the evaluation, the therapist will follow up with the parent via phone to discuss results and recommendations.

  • Physical Therapy, plan for a 15 minute phone meeting
  • Speech-Language, plan for a 15 minute phone meeting
  • Occupational Therapy, plan for a 30 minute phone meeting

For weekly sessions, the frequency will vary by your child’s needs and the therapist’s specific recommendations for the treatment plan. Most sessions occur once per week, but can also occur 2 to 3 times per week for some children.  Keep in mind that recommendations can be adjusted over the course of the treatment plan based on how your child responds to therapy and the rate of progress observed.  

Total session times range in length from 30 to 60 minutes and always include time built into the session to review progress and train parents on home program activities.

What Will My Child’s Treatments Look Like?

With pediatric therapy, it is important to know that the overall goal is to help improve overall functional performance.  Our therapists will develop goals for treatment that include areas identified in the initial evaluation, as well as personal goals for the family.

While every patient’s condition and needs are unique, our therapists will use a variety of gentle techniques, exercises, games and equipment to elevate and develop foundational skills.  

Therapy is always play-based and therapists focus on using the child’s interests to motivate them during sessions.  Pretending to be a pirate, a princess, or a favorite movie character while pumping a swing, playing a game, or trying to eat a new food happens all day long at Skills on the Hill.  

Therapists magically develop rapport with patients and sessions become a safe and non-threatening place to try new things and to accept subtle cues and feedback so new skills become automatic.  Very quickly, patients develop trust and respect for therapists and are often observed doing things they have never done before, with confidence and a smile. 

Will my child’s therapist recommend strategies for school and home?

Our therapists work as a team with parents to implement strategies across settings. At weekly sessions, you can discuss how things are going and new recommendations can be made. You can facilitate communication between your child’s teacher and his/her therapist in order to carry over strategies to the school environment.

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