Question 1

What is occupational therapy?

Accepted Answer

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a healthcare profession that helps people of all ages participate in meaningful activities (occupations). It is a holistic approach that takes into account the physical, social, and environmental factors that can impact a person's ability to function in daily life. The goal of OT is to help individuals improve their quality of life by building skills, developing strategies, and making adaptations to their environment. At Sprouting Pediatrics, we help identify individual needs and offer personalized treatment plans to help children achieve their full potential. Contact us to learn more about our OT services and how we can support your child's growth and development.

Question 2

How do I know if my child's feeding and eating skills are age appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Feeding and eating skills can vary from child to child, making it difficult to determine what is 'normal'. Sprouting Pediatrics recommends taking The Infant and Child Feeding Questionnaire offered by Feeding Matters. This questionnaire can help identify any areas of concern and provide insight into what is typical for your child's age and development. If potential feeding concerns are identified, it may be beneficial to seek out professional help.  Sprouting Pediatrics is here to support you and your child's feeding journey.

Question 3

What is involved in a feeding assessment?

Accepted Answer

A feeding assessment involves several steps to ensure we consider all aspects affecting feeding progress and gain the most accurate representation of the child's current feeding, eating and oral motor skills. 
	
An intake form is completed by the parent to provide history and background information. 
Video and/or pictures may be requested for review and data collection prior to the in-person assessment.
The in-person assessment is a 1-1.25 hour session in your home. This involves hands-on oral motor assessment, observations of mealtime behaviours and evaluation of the mealtime environment.   Observations and assessment are completed through play and during natural feeding opportunities. 
Following the session, the OT will provide an in-depth summary of observations, strategies, resources and next steps.

Question 4

What is a Speech Language Pathologist?

Accepted Answer

A Speech-language Pathologist (SLP) is a health care professional with clinical training and educational background in diagnosing and treating communication disorders. They help individuals improve their speech, language, and overall communication skills. They work with people of all ages to address issues like articulation, language development, fluency (stuttering), voice health, swallowing disorders and social communication skills.

Question 5

What is Myofunctional Therapy?

Accepted Answer

Myofunctional therapy is a form of therapy that uses specific oral exercises to improve strength and coordination of face and mouth muscles. It addresses concerns such as tongue posture, swallowing patterns, and breathing habits. It aims to improve speech, chewing, and swallowing abilities, foster proper facial development, and encourage healthier breathing habits. For more information visit the Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy at https://aomtinfo.org/myofunctional-therapy/

Question 6

Can Sprouting Pediatrics help with more than feeding?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Although our occupational therapy services focus on feeding, we believe in a holistic approach to support a child's overall growth and development. This may include oral motor skills, fine and gross motor skills, play and social skills, sleep and/or sensory regulation. 
Our speech and language therapists offer a wide variety of services including myofunctional therapy, speech sound production, understanding and expression of language, social communication skills, literacy and more. See our 'We Can Help With.." section on our services page for more detail.

Question 7

Where are your service locations?

Accepted Answer

All our services are conveniently offered in your own home, however we are now offering OT services at the South Calgary Midwives clinic.

You'll find us in the Douglasdale Professional Centre at 11420 27St. SE. This ensures that our services are accessible both in-home and at a designated clinic to best suit your needs.

Question 8

Do I need a referral?

Accepted Answer

A referral is not currently required for our therapy services.

Question 9

What payment options does Sprouting Pediatrics accept?

Accepted Answer

We currently accept email transfers and Quickbook payments.

An electronic invoice will be provided following each assessment or treatment session. If you have occupational therapy coverage under your insurance plan or if a health spending account is available, you can submit the invoice for reimbursement.

If you are receiving funding from Family Supports For Children with disabilities (FSCD - https://www.alberta.ca/fscd) you may submit the expense claim to the FSCD program through their online claims reimbursement portal.

If you have any questions or concerns about payment, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Question 10

Does Sprouting Pediatrics work with other health professionals?

Accepted Answer

Yes! We believe in collaborative care and working with other health professionals to support comprehensive and holisitic care for our clients. We offer referrals where needed and will connect with your medical team, school team or FSCD team to best support your child's overall growth and development.

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