Physical Therapy Dept.  |  Occupational Therapy Dept.  |  Sensory Integration  |  Speech Therapy  |  Autism Program | Special Education | Vision/ Mobility

Physical Therapy Department

 Our physical therapy department provides evaluations and treatment for children with neurological, musculoskeletal and motor developmental delays of known and unknown causes. Diagnoses we treat include cerebral palsy, arthrogryposis, muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, brachial plexus injury, autism, torticollis , as well as other neurological and orthopedic conditions that impact upon the child’s overall development and mobility. Improving strength in weak muscles and flexibility in muscles and joints, coordination and balance, normalizing muscle tone, positioning to improve skill development and adapting equipment are focus areas of physical therapy. We evaluate and treat children in their natural environments and provide families/caregivers with suggested activities to assist their child in achieving developmental milestones.

Occupational Therapy Department

Our occupational therapy department provides evaluations, consultation and treatment for children with neurological, musculoskeletal, emotional and motor developmental delays of known and unknown causes. We specialize in treating a variety of diagnoses which includes autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, brachial plexus injury, regulatory disorder, anxiety disorder, failure to thrive, visual impairment, traumatic brain injury, issues related to prematurity, and developmental apraxia. Our focus of therapy is to work in the natural environment of the child (home or community) to provide the parents and caregivers with strategies and activities that will help the child with their concerns. Therapy can be provided on an individual basis, or in a group setting at our facility.

Our Occupational Therapists are trained in:

• Sensory integration
• DIR
• Auditory listening program
• Hand development
• Oral sensory
• Feeding
• Self-help
• Orthotics/splinting
• Myofascial Release
• Visual/perceptual
• Adaptive equipment
• Environmental modifications

For further information, please contact our Occupational Therapy Supervisor, Joan Fisher at (585) 377-2230.

Sensory Integration

Sensory integration is the ability to take in information through our senses (touch, movement, smell, taste, vision, and hearing), put it together with prior information (memories and knowledge stored in the brain) , and make a meaningful response. It is a nonlinear process that is dependent upon the efficient integration of all of the sensory experiences mixed with the environmental situations and demands, as well as the child’s own personality and reactions. Normal sensory integration allows the child to interact appropriately within the environment.

In the normally developing child, sensory integration occurs when the child participates in everyday activities. The child’s love for sensory activities fuels an inner drive and motivation to conquer challenges. That drive urges the child to participate actively in experiences that promote sensory integration: The child explores the environment, tries new activities, and strives to meet increasingly more complex challenges.

Bright Start’s occupational therapists have a wide range of sensory integration knowledge, both from professional development and on the job training. In order to work at Bright Start, a therapist must be working towards developing an intermediate to advanced level of knowledge. While this is an ongoing process, supervision is provided to each therapist to evaluate and promote their skills in this area.

For further information, please contact Joan Fisher at (585) 377-2230.

Speech Services

Provided: Home Base/Community Clinic

Children from age birth to five years old with identified special needs and approval to receive services through the NYS Department of Health or the NYS Department of Education may access speech services at Bright Start. Parent training and involvement is an integral part of the program. Services may begin an individual setting or a group.

All Speech staff have been licensed by NYS for Clinical competency and have a masters level SLP degree. In addition, further training is provided in sensory integration O. M. for speech, reading, and sign language. Speech language pathologists at Bright Start Pediatric Services specialize in the fields of apraxia, autism, developmental language delays, articulation/phonology disorders, and oral motor/feeding disfunction. In addition, they meet needs for alternative communication systems.

For further information, please contact our Speech Therapy Supervisor, Karen Stolt, at (585) 377-2230.

Autism Program

Philosophy:

Once a child is diagnosed on the autism spectrum their parent meets with the autism coordinator to set up a comprehensive program comprised of many elements based on the individual needs of the child and their family. Services begin in the home with providers working with the family and child. When the child is ready services will move out into the community, to playgroups and then into preschool programs. Bright Start provides well trained providers in the DIR program: every provider has received the 4 day basic training, ongoing monthly training meetings at Bright Start reviewing and critiquing each other's work through videos and monthly professional meetings with others trained in the Rochester area. Many providers have gone to the summer DIR institute and yearly conferences in Washington D.C. to keep up with the latest information and research on autism. Dr. Lori Jeanne Peloquin is the clinical psychologist who provides consultation and support to our team to assist with enhanced training.

DIR program

The principles of the Development Individual Differences Relationship (DIR) Model focus on and support the child-caregiver interactions while helping the child develop through the six basic functional developmental capacities in a play based atmosphere.

Shared attention and regulation
Engagement
Affective reciprocity and gestural communication.
Complex pre-symbolic, shared social communication and problem solving, including imitation, social referencing and joint attention.
Symbolic and creative use of ideas, including pretend play and pragmatic language.
Logical and abstract use of ideas and thinking, including the capacity for expressing and reflecting on feelings and having insights into self and others.

DIR team (made up of: psychologist, special educator, speech therapist, occupational therapist and physical therapist) works together with parents to meet the individual social, cognitive, communication, adaptive and motor needs of each individual child. (A dietician or social worker or ABA specialist can be added if needed) .

Goals of Program:

To support the family in helping the child climb the functional developmental ladder of skills listed above.
To make the family aware of their child’s individual differences in motor, auditory, visual-spatial and sensory processing capacities.
To facilitate the child’s development of peer relationships.
To help the child transition to preschool and prepare for kindergarten.
To help the child with autism conceptualize all the vital developmental processes and incorporate them into their every day lives so that they can participate in a range of age-expected social relationships.

For further information, please contact our DIR Supervisor, Diane Moulton, at (585) 747-1417.

Special Education Department

Our special education department provides evaluations and treatment for children with a variety of diagnoses and developmental needs. Teachers in this department specialize in working with children in both Early Intervention and preschool programs. Teachers work with parents, caregivers, and preschool staff to provide support, strategies, and suggestions in the natural environment of the child. Special education sessions take place in the child’s home, daycare, community, and preschool. If the child receives additional support services, special educators work closely with providers in order to ensure consistency in all therapy sessions.

Home-based and community sessions focus on the individual needs of the child, including:
• Behavioral Intervention
• Functional Behavior Assessments, Behavior Modification Plans
• Parent Training
• Cognitive Development
• Attention, Memory, Reasoning, Academic, Perception, and Conceptual Skills
• Adaptive Development
• Self-care and Personal Responsibility Skills
• Personal-Social Development
• Adult Interaction, Peer Interaction, and Self Concept Skills

In the preschool setting teachers collaborate with preschool staff to support and maximize the child’s growth. A teacher’s role might include:
• Curriculum and Material Modification
• Teaching and Development of Learning Strategies
• Focusing on attention span and following directions,
• Behavior Support
• Creation and implementation of behavior modifications plans
• Modeling and sharing strategies with preschool staff
• Socialization
• Aiding child with interaction in a group setting


For further information, please contact our Special Education Supervisor, Summer Farmen, at (585) 377-2230.