Additional Therapy Program for Kids in Hingham, Pembroke & Norwood, MA

At South Shore Therapies, our experienced staff of occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists use techniques and programs developed especially for children to promote successful participation. These programs involve developmentally appropriate activities that children enjoy, encouraging more rapid progress towards their goals. Each program requires specialty training and experience.

Therapeutic Music Programs

The therapeutic use of specially designed music can help children understand their sound environment, which can minimize sound sensitivities and improve skills that are dependent on the effective processing of auditory information. Research has linked the positive use of music to a number of lasting benefits, including, but not limited to:

• Relaxation
• Self-regulation 
• Relaxation
• Pain relief 
• Decreased blood pressure and heart rate 
• Increased focus 
• Improved listening and communication skills 
• Enhancement of cognitive, reasoning, and academic abilities 
• Postural control 
• Timing and sequencing of motor skills 

South Shore Therapies offers the following listening programs based on each child's areas of difficulty and their individualized goals for functional changes.

• Therapeutic Listening Program 
• Quickshifts 
• The Listening Program (TLP) 
• Integrated Listening System (iLS), including the iLS Dreampad

Brain Gym

Designed to wake up the brain without stress, Brain Gym activities involve quick and easy developmental movements. Children naturally explore these movements as they grow and mature. These simple activities can enhance self-regulation, physical coordination, and academic learning.

Handwriting Without Tears

Developed by a registered occupational therapist, Handwriting Without Tears is a developmentally based program that teaches letters in logical groups with supportive verbal and visual cues. Specific workbooks are designed for the developmental age of each child.

Bal-A-Vis-X (Balance-Auditory-Vision-eXercises)

This program includes a series of approximately 300 exercises in which children use bean bags, racquetballs, and balance boards to complete rhythmical motor sequences. The program progresses from easier to more complex sequences that encourage the coordination of the balance system with the eyes and ears. It is deeply rooted in rhythm and can positively impact eye-hand coordination, motor coordination, and timing.

Reflex Integration 

From infancy, the reflexes are vitally important for the proper development of the brain, nervous system, body, and sensory systems. By using neurodevelopmental movement patterns and other playful resistive activities, therapists can help to develop and mature the body's reflexes for optimal functioning.

SOS Approach to Feeding

SOS stands for Sequential-Oral-Sensory highlighting pillars of the program.  The SOS approach to feeding is a strengths-based, family centered, and intrinsic motion focused. The introduction of new foods is presented through a sequential developmental approach that focuses on both oral motor development and sensory foundations. The SOS approach focuses on increasing a child’s comfort level by exploring and learning about the different properties of food. It allows the child to interact with food in a non-stressful sequence called Steps to Eating. This begins with tolerating food visually, then through smell and touch to both their bodies and their mouth.

The Get Permission Approach to Feeding

The Get Permission approach is a responsive, sensitive, and supportive approach to feeding therapy based on developmental principles. It acknowledges that feeding is a relationship and focuses on supporting children and their families holistically to create positive change at mealtimes. In this approach adults learn to read cues and support children to “give permission” through positive developmentally appropriate experiences. When a child has both physical and emotional readiness for eating, they can discover a self-directed internal drive to eat.

Beckman Oral Motor Approach

The Beckman approach utilizes hands on specialized oral-motor exercises to improve strength, control and coordination of the muscles of the face and mouth needed for eating. The exercises focus on improving range of movement, variety of movement, strength and control of movement for the lips, cheeks, jaw and tongue. Through developing the coordination and strength needed for handling liquids and all food textures functional eating skills are facilitated.

Meaningful Speech/Analytic Language Acquisition/Gestalt Language Processing

The Meaningful Speech TM Course is a specialty training, both available for Speech-Language Pathologists and parents. The course specifically geared towards speech-language pathologists provides a comprehensive view into the two ways to process and learn language, including gestalt language processing and analytic language processing. This course provides resources on how to identify characteristics of gestalt language processing, those who may process language in this style, and the six stages in which language is developed in this manner. This course also provides tools and methods on how to provide child-led therapy in order to best support gestalt language processors. Bonus modules are included as well, that cover AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), motor planning, sensory processing, and autism.

PROMPT Intervention

PROMPT stands for Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets. It is a tactile-kinesthetic approach to speech therapy, where a speech-language pathologist uses touch cues on the child's face to support and shape correct movement for accurate sound production.

The Lidcombe Program

A fluency treatment program, Lidcombe was developed specifically to reduce stuttering in children who are school-aged and younger. The program works to decrease incidences of stuttered speech and facilitate more fluent speech through supportive and encouraging corrections during dysfluent moments.
The experienced therapists at South Shore Therapies believe in the inherent capabilities of every child, and we encourage their strengths in building new skills. To schedule a therapy appointment for your child at one of our convenient locations in Southern Massachusetts, contact us today at 781-335-6663.