Developmental delays and therapy:
Developmental milestones are determined during childhood by the average at which children achieve certain skills. Developmental  delays occur when children do not reach their milestones at the expected time. Delays are a common result of many neurological disorders and can occur in one or more areas,  which may include motor, speech and language, as well as social and thinking skills. Therapy has proven to not only be effective in the treatment of developmental delay, but a necessity, for a child with special needs, to perform his daily activities, and assist  with his self-esteem. Though many kinds of therapy are available, the three main categories our project is involved with at this time are physical, occupational and speech/language therapies.

Occupational therapy:
A discipline that focuses on helping people achieve independance in all aeras of their lifes and can offer children with various needs, positive and fun activities to improve their cognitive, physical and motor skills as well as enhance their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. A child's main job is playing and learning and an occupational therapist can evaluate a child's skills for play activities, school performance, and daily living activities and compare them with what is developmentally appropriate for that age group. OT's can address children's needs by working on fine motor skills so that children can grasp and release toys and develop good handwriting skills. Occupational therapists can also address hand-eye coordination to improve play skills, such as hitting a target, batting a ball, or copying from a blackboard. OT's help chidren with severe developmental delays learn some basic tasks, such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and feeding themselves. OT's help children with behavioral disorders with the coordination skills required, use of a computer, or increase the speed and legibility of their handwriting. They work with children who have sensory and attentional issues to improve focus and social skills. Occupational therapy helps children with disabilities be as independant as possible, accomplishing this goal  using activities that are meaningful to the child, as well as the family.

Physical therapy:
A physical therapist specializes in improving the development and function of large muscle groups working with the child on legs, arms and abdominal motor skills. PT will help children learn better ways to balance, walk, kick, throw, or even ride a bike. Special exercises are used towards the prevention of musculoskeletal complications, such as intense weakening or deterioration of muscles due to lack of use or to prevent contractures of muscles, becoming rigid and fixed in an abnormal position. Therapists will assist the child with spasticity, in other words the interference in movement due to involuntary muscle tightness, secondary to damage in the brain. Early intervention will lessen the delays by facilitating certain developmental milestones. Therapeutic equipment that is used during treatment may include treadmills, bikes, trikes and specialized swings, as well as neuromuscular stimulation and ultrasound. Assisting children with special needs with daily living activities such as getting in and out of bed, in and out of a car, or ascending and descending stairs is really crucial to develop their opportunities. 

Speech and language therapy:
A speech and language therapist will assist a child with severe developmental delay, with his speech, language, cognition, voice, swallowing and the rehabilitative or corrective treatment of physical and/or cognitive disorders resulting in difficulty with verbal communication and/or swallowing. Communication may be verbal and includes speech (articulation, intonation, voice, resonance, fluency....) language (phonology, syntax, semantics....) but may also be non-verbal, such as facial expression and gesture. Swallowing problems managed under speech therapy are problems in the oral and pharyngeal stage rather than esophageal. Depending on the nature and severity of the disorder, common treatments may range from physical strengthening exercises, instructive or repetitive practice, as well as the use of visual aids and introduction of strategies to facilitate functional communication. Speech therapy may also include sign language and the use of picture symbols. S/L therapy is essential to children with developmental delay to promote and facilitate access and participation in communication, including the elimination of social barriers.