At NAPA, we love being creative with our treatment plans, using various therapy tools, and having so much fun with your child! Before we can do all that, we must get to know them first. Here’s what to expect when you come to NAPA for your first physical therapy evaluation.
When you registered for your weekly therapies or upcoming intensive, you had to fill out some paperwork on your child. Thank you for doing that! This helps therapists get a good idea of what our session might look like and how to best meet your child where they are at. This also helps us not have to ask you so many of the “boring” questions if we already know the answers.
If you are coming for an in-person evaluation, we ask that you bring anything that will make your child’s session the most successful. That might include your child’s communication device so they can tell us a little about themselves, your child’s AFOs or other braces so we can assess their movement with and without them on, or even your child’s favorite comfort item to have in a new, unfamiliar place. At NAPA, we have plenty of toys and other therapeutic tools, but if you would really like us to see something, then bring it in!
Upon arrival, you’ll be welcomed by our wonderful front office staff! Depending on time constraints, either your first therapist or a member of our front office team will show you around, making sure to point out all the important things, like where the bathrooms are, the best place to store your snacks, and where we keep the most fun toys. No matter where you end up in the clinic, your therapist will come find you, make introductions, and bring you into the gym! Don’t worry, we can make a stop by the toy and game shelves to grab something fun.
Once officially in your session, your therapist will likely start with some questions. We use this time to allow your child to warm up to this new environment and make sure we have a really good idea of your family’s goals. We want to know all about what their life looks like at home, at school/work, and other extracurricular activities so we can provide the best care. We want to know if there have been any significant changes since you filled out your intake paperwork. We will also likely ask a few hard questions, like your child’s height, weight, and current medication list, so come prepared!
At NAPA, every initial PT evaluation requires a standardized outcome measure. These tests allow us to keep track of your child’s progress over time in a testable, measurable manner. Your therapist will choose a test (or two) that meets your child where they’re at to capture their current skills and allow for growth for the next time it’s performed! These standardized outcome measures may include attempting to see your child perform different transitions and actions, asking caregiver questions, or a mixture of both.
Outside of your glowing reviews of your child and their scores on our tests, we just want to see how they move! This will often look like playing, but trust that we are assessing all aspects of your child’s movement throughout. From how they reach to turn on a toy or run to the swing, your therapist is making notes about the awesome skills your child has and the best opportunities for growth. Sometimes children are more hesitant to show off their skills in a new setting with new people, so feel free to let us know if they’re not shining to their full potential.
A key part of every PT evaluation is setting your child’s goals. Goal setting is a collaborative effort between therapists, caregivers, and the child if appropriate. Of course, we will work towards global gross motor gains, but it’s important for us to know what’s most important to you. Although we are the therapy experts, you are the expert on your child, so we would love to know what you’re hoping to get out of your time at NAPA.
This PT evaluation is just as much for us to learn about your child and family as it is for you to learn about us and NAPA! Please feel free to ask us any questions you might have about treatment in general, about various therapy tools, about what your intensive might look like, or anything else. Similarly, if your child has any special interests, quirks, or anything else you think we need to know, tell us!
Alternatively, if you are unable to make it to the clinic prior to your intensive, given travel constraints, we will meet with you over telehealth! Unfortunately, we will be unable to give you a tour or introduce you to our wonderful staff, but that will all be done on your first day. Everything else will be the same, including questions, standardized outcome measures, and informal gross motor assessments. We understand just how hard it is to entertain your child and keep a camera on them, but the more of their movement we can see, the better we can plan for your in-person visit.
Congrats! You have successfully made it through your physical therapy evaluation. Welcome to the NAPA family! If you also had a speech and/or occupational therapy evaluation, your therapists will communicate with each other to make sure goals don’t overlap and to make sure everyone is on the same page. We can’t wait to continue to get to know your child and help them grow!
Hannah Tufts is a pediatric physical therapist at NAPA Center Denver. When not in clinic cheering on NAPA superstars, you can find her with a good book in hand, baking something sweet, or planning her next adventure.
NAPA Center is a global leader in pediatric therapy. We offer a multidisciplinary approach integrating physical, occupational, speech and feeding therapy. With clinics throughout the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, we aim to bring hope to families worldwide by providing access to the best and most innovative therapies all under one roof.
