Our Services
If you're the parent of a child who is struggling with speech and language development, you may be feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do. You are not alone! Pediatric speech therapy can help your child overcome these challenges and improve their quality of life. At Southland Therapy Services, we specialize in providing pediatric speech therapy services to children of all ages. Our therapists are state and board-certified, and we offer family support and education so that parents can help their children continue to progress outside of therapy sessions. We understand that every child is unique, so we work closely with each family to develop an individualized treatment plan that meets their specific needs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your child!
Pediatric Speech Therapy Services
Pediatric speech therapy services are designed to assess and treat speech disorders and communication problems in young children. SLP therapy can help children develop a variety of important skills like comprehension, clarity, voice, fluency, and sound production. It is crucial to note that pediatric speech therapy is different from adult speech therapy, as the techniques used by our team at Southland Therapy Services are developmentally appropriate for young children.
At our clinic, pediatric speech therapy begins with an initial evaluation by a speech and language pathologist. During the evaluation, we will collect information about your child’s medical history, speech and language development milestones, current abilities, and any current concerns you may have. Based on this information, we will develop an individualized treatment plan that is designed to meet your child’s specific needs.
Treatment plans may include a variety of different therapy techniques and activities, and our team will work closely with you to ensure that you are comfortable and confident in implementing the plan at home.
Our state-licensed Speech Language Pathologists are trained to evaluate and treat various speech, voice, and language disorders, including:
- expressive and receptive language disorders
- communication disorders
- articulation and phonological disorders
- cognitive skills such as problem-solving and reasoning
- feeding and swallowing
- oral motor skills
- augmentative communication
- behavior management
Speech Milestones:
Some common milestones to look for in your child(ren) are:
By age 1: Recognizes name; Says 2-3 words in addition to "mama" and "dada"; Imitates familiar words; Understands simple instructions; Recognizes words as symbols for objects: (examples) Car- points to garage, cat – meows.
Ages 1-2 yrs: Understands "no"; Uses 10 to 20 words including names; Combines two words such as "daddy bye-bye"; Waves good-bye and plays pat-a-cake; Makes the "sounds" of familiar animals; Gives a toy when asked; Uses words such as "more" to make wants known; Points to their toes, eyes, and nose; Brings object from another room when asked.
If you notice your child isn’t hitting their milestones or you have concerns of your own, reach out to our team at Southland Therapy Services. During our pediatric speech therapy, our speech and language pathologists will help your child meet a variety of milestones. These milestones are designed to help children develop the skills they need to communicate effectively.
How do I know if my child could benefit from Speech Therapy?
Not meeting the expected developmental milestones during the first 15-24 months of life (i.e., cooing, babbling, producing first word(s)
Difficulty coordinating and planning oral-motor movements (tongue, lips) to formulate sounds/ syllables or have weak oral motor movements (i.e., weak jaw and/or tongue strength)
Not putting two words together to produce phrases and short sentences
Articulation difficulties where their speech consists of substitutions ( i.e., “f ” for “th,” “w” for “l”), distortions (i.e., the “s” sound may be a lisp or sounds messy), omissions (i.e., the word “cat” is produced “ca.”)
Weaknesses in receptive language skills or the ability to understand Language. (includes following simple directions, identifying spatial and temporal concepts, understanding prepositions, identifying antonyms, synonyms, multiple-meaning words, etc.)
Weaknesses in expressive language skills or the ability to communicate through words, facial expressions, gestures, or other nonverbal forms
Difficulties in social situations, such as appropriate turn-taking skills, eye contact, understanding a communication partner’s feelings, introducing and maintaining a topic, etc.
Limited food repertoire or have a food repertoire that is limited to certain textures, such as puree
Numerous disfluencies where they may repeat a sound, word, or phrase before completing a sentence
Poor vocal quality, such as a hoarse or weak voice as well as vocal nodules
If you are looking for pediatric speech therapy in Georgia, look no further than Southland Therapy Services. Our team of state and board-certified therapists is dedicated to helping children of all ages overcome speech and communication disorders. We offer family support and education so that parents can help their children continue to progress outside of therapy sessions.
While most insurance plans cover pediatric speech therapy, it’s always a good idea to check with your specific provider to find out the details of your coverage. At Southland Therapy Services, we accept most commercial and government insurances, including Medicaid.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your child!
If you are concerned about your child’s speech development, reach out to Southland Therapy Services. We offer pediatric speech therapy in Georgia and South Carolina that is designed to help children of all ages overcome communication disorders. Our team of state-licensed therapists is dedicated to helping families find success. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your child!
Pediatric Physical Therapy
If you are the parent of a child with special needs or a physical disability, you know that finding the right pediatric physical therapy provider is essential. Southland Therapy Services has been providing quality pediatric PT services to families in the Savannah, GA area for many years. Our passion is to help children reach their fullest potential and improve their quality of life. We provide exceptional pediatric physical therapy services to children and are committed to family support and education. Our team of state and board-certified therapists is dedicated to helping every child we encounter. Contact us today to learn more about our pediatric physical therapy!
What Is Pediatric Physical Therapy?
Our state-licensed physical therapists will evaluate and treat the needs of the pediatric population through a wide variety of modalities. These physical therapists specialize in diagnosing, treating, and managing pediatric and adolescent age children through various congenital, developmental, neuromuscular, skeletal, or acquired disorders/diseases. Treatments focus on improving gross and fine motor skills, balance and coordination, strength and endurance, and cognitive and sensory processing/integration. Children with developmental delays, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and torticollis are a few patients treated by pediatric physical therapists.
Importance of Pediatric Physical Therapy
The importance of pediatric physical therapy is to help children improve their quality of life and function in school and at home. Pediatric PT can help with a child’s strength, range of motion, gross motor skills (i.e., crawling, walking, running), and fine motor skills (i.e. grasping a toy or using a fork). Our therapists at Southland Therapy Services also work on sensory processing issues and can provide splinting/casting for contractures.
How do I know if my child could benefit from Physical Therapy?
Not meeting the expected developmental milestones during the first year of life (i.e., rolling, sitting, standing, walking)
Strong preference for turning their head to one side or using one side of their body
Walk up on the balls of their feet or walk in an atypical/awkward manner
Difficulty keeping up with their peers during play
Not able to perform the same gross motor tasks (i.e., hopping, jumping, skipping) as their peers
Frequently trip and fall when walking
Complain of pain when performing gross motor tasks
They were injured and were not able to perform at their prior level of function
Our Programs
Our programs are designed to help our patients reach their goals while also teaching their families how to provide the support their children need. Additionally, we strive to make the experience as comfortable and natural as possible for our patients, which is why we offer treatment both in our clinic and in the home or daycare of the patient.
Get In Touch With Southland Therapy Services
Pediatric physical therapy is a vital part of helping children with various disorders or diseases improve their quality of life. Our team at Southland Therapy Services is dedicated to working with both children and families to help every child function independently and reach their fullest potential! Contact us today or stop by our Georgia or South Carolina location to learn more about our pediatric physical therapy services!
Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Looking for pediatric occupational therapy services? Look no further than Southland Therapy Services. We offer caring and exceptional pediatric OT services that improve the quality of life and the potential for success of each child. Our family support and education for parents will help you reach your child's goals while teaching you how to create therapeutic opportunities yourself. We provide treatment where the child spends most of their time, so you can be assured they will receive the best care possible!
What Is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?
Our state-licensed pediatric occupational therapists will evaluate, organize, and conduct medically prescribed occupational therapy for pediatric and adolescent-aged children. Our therapists will direct the patient and caregiver in selected tasks to restore, reinforce, and/or enhance performance. We will focus on fine motor, visual-motor, and sensory processing skills needed for basic activities of daily living. This may include help with feeding andor dressing, improving handwriting, going to the bathroom independently, and many other age-appropriate skills.
The Importance of Pediatric Occupational Therapy
In addition to improving skills needed for activities of daily living, pediatric occupational therapy also helps children develop the ability to interact with their environment. This is accomplished by working on sensory processing and integration, which refers to the way the nervous system receives information from the senses and turns it into an appropriate motor or behavioral response. When this process is not functioning efficiently, a child may have difficulty with coordination, praxis (the planning and execution of skilled movements), self-regulation (the ability to control emotions and behavior), and social skills.
A pediatric occupational therapist can also play an important role in identifying early signs of a mental health disorder. They provide services to children who are diagnosed with a range of mental health and behavioral disorders. The goal of pediatric OT is to help children lead independent, productive, and satisfying lives.
How do I know if my child could benefit from Occupational Therapy?
Behavior deteriorates when schedule changes
Difficulty getting to sleep and easily awakened
Avoids playing with other children
Avoids eye contact with caregivers
Resists being cuddled
Upset if clothing, hands, or face is messy
Unaware of a wet or dirty diaper
Upset when placed on their back to change diapers or wash hair
Craves increased movement/roughhousing
Becomes overstimulated easily
It takes overly amounts of stimulation to get a reaction (i.e., Being swung in the air higher than that of peers, playing in the water, spinning objects, mouthing objects, vibration)
Difficulty with small manipulative: not using two hands together, lack of pincer grasp after the age of 1 yr.
Does not use the index finger to point to pictures/ objects or insert into small holes by the age of 10-11 mos.
Does not pull socks off
Does not turn pages of thick cardboard book by age 15 mos.
Difficulty with feeding self or accepting different foods
The Benefits of Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Pediatric occupational therapy comes with a variety of benefits for your child. With the help of Southland Therapy Services, your child can boost their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. And with our pediatric OT, your child will increase their independence in daily activities as well as address sensory processing. Some more benefits of pediatric occupational therapy are:
Improved fine motor skills
Better handwriting
Greater self-esteem and sense of accomplishment
Aid in daily activities
Help kids play
Improve school performance
Boost self-esteem
And much more!
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, contact our team. We look forward to helping your child thrive in pediatric occupational therapy!
Schedule Your Child for Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Schedule at Southland Therapy Services today! Your child’s pediatric occupational therapist will develop a plan of care that is specific to your child’s needs. The frequency and duration of therapy will be based on your child’s individual goals and what works best for your family. At Southland Therapy Services, we offer exceptional pediatric occupational therapy services in Savannah, Georgia. Contact us to schedule an appointment for your child or stop by our Georgia or South Carolina locations.
At Southland Therapy Services, we are proud to accept most commercial and government insurances. We are passionate about providing pediatric occupational therapy to all those who qualify and strive to grow our list of accepted insurances. If you do not see your insurance provider listed below, that does not mean you're not covered. Check with our team at Southland Therapy Services as well as your insurance provider to check your coverage options and benefits. Here is a partial list of insurances we accept below:
Insurances We Accept at Southland Therapy Services
Georgia and South Carolina Medicaid - including Fee for Service; Blue Choice of SC; Amerigroup of Georgia; Peach State Health Plan; Select Health; United Healthcare Community Plan; Absolute Total Care; Palmetto Physician Connections; Primary Physician Care
Blue Cross Blue Shield - including BCBS of Georgia, BCBS of South Carolina; BCBS State Health Plan; BCBS Anthem;
At Southland Therapy Services, we're here to help give you a better understanding of pediatric occupational therapy and how it can help your child. We're a pediatric occupational therapy clinic that provides expert care for children of all ages. Our highly trained staff offers a wide range of services to meet the unique needs of each child we serve. Contact us today to learn more about our pediatric OT services or to schedule an appointment. We look forward to meeting you and your family!