FAQs
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How do I initiate service at PAT?
There are two ways to initiate service. First, you can ask your physician to send us a referral. We will contact you within 48 hours to set up an evaluation to determine if occupational therapy, physical therapy or speech therapy can help your child. Don't want to wait on your doctor? Request an appointment. We will then give you a call to set up an initial evaluation.
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Do we need a referral from a physician to receive services from PAT?
We do not require a physician referral to receive treatment at PAT. You may bring your child in for an initial evaluation without a referral we will contact your child's primary care provider.
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What insurance providers do you accept?
We accept most major insurance providers. Here is a full list. If you do not see your insurance company on the list, please contact us and we will work with the provider to be included. Our goal is to make sure every child that can benefit from visiting PAT be able to do so.
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A clinic provides a variety of dynamic equipment with more affordances than are available in any other setting to constantly challenge, motivate, and inspire children. Novelty promotes problem-solving and adaptive changes in a child's brain. A clinic provides natural opportunities for interaction with peers as they share equipment and plan activities with their therapists.
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How is clinic therapy different from school-based therapy?
In a clinic, the goal is to provide therapy to address all aspects of a child's life (e.g.,sleeping, eating, playing), and includes functioning at home and in the community as well as at school. In the school setting, the intervention must be related to specific difficulties in school functioning only.
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What sets PAT apart from other clinics?
The experienced clinicians at Pediatric Advanced Therapy have advanced training and certifications in a number of specialties across occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and counseling disciplines. Our incredible team also participates in ongoing in-house education, mentoring and professional development opportunities. Our clinicians are the leaders in evidence-based practice, constantly striving to provide the best care to our clients and their families. In addition to our awesome therapists, our clinics are, without question, the largest and most advanced clinics in the Carolinas. With multiple, diverse treatment environments, we are able to treat your child in the ideal setting regardless of diagnosis.
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Once your child is on our permanent schedule, they will be scheduled to see the same therapist every week. This allows for continuity of care. In the event that the regular therapist is not available, another of our highly skilled therapists can step in for a session. In this case, PAT has extensive documentation and goals for each child so that the new therapist is fully versed and ready to treat your child the minute they walk in the door.
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How often should my child have therapy and for how long?
The length of therapy will vary depending on the difficulties the child is experiencing. It is common for children to need 50-80 sessions of therapy. In some cases, therapy is given two or even three times a week. It all depends on the child’s needs and goals. However, our patients that attend at least 75% of scheduled appointments reach their goals twice as fast as patients that only attend 50%. The better your child's attendance, the better their results! Therapy sessions are one hour in length.
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What is the difference between occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT)?
Occupational and physical therapists have very similar training, however, the OT specializes in preparing a child/patient to properly interact with the environment around them while the PT specializes in gross motor development and improvement.
