Outcomes Adult Services
Occupational Therapy
Welcome!
Welcome to Occupational Therapy at TLC, located in Rockville, Maryland, where we understand your child’s unique needs and provide therapies in individual and group sessions.
Why choose Occupational Therapy for your child? At the core of our program philosophy is the belief that our clinicians treat children, not disabilities. With that in mind, we develop individual treatment plans that are designed to meet the needs of each child in order to maximize development and independence with daily living skills. Treatment plans address functional outcomes for each child, using a holistic and collaborative approach that considers individual needs in the home, at in school, and in the community, as well as working across disciplines to address the needs of the whole person.
At TLC, we believe that parents are crucial to their child’s development and progress, and parent involvement is a central component of all of our Outpatient Services programs. Parent involvement and education is an integral part of the treatment process. From the initial intake call through the evaluation to the individual therapy sessions, our professional staff provides feedback not only on the areas of need but the strengths of your child to guide the treatment planning process. Parents collaborate on the treatment plan and therapists provide ongoing education and resources for the carry-over of treatment goals into the home and other environments, to maximize each child’s independence and progress.
Read more About Us, Our Programs, and feel free to Contact Us for more information or visit our Resources.
Thank you for visiting!
What Families Say
Our therapist did an excellent job evaluating my son and had a great ability making him comfortable.
Really like working with our therapist. She’s smart and to the point.
There could not be a nicer, more experienced staff. Everyone genuinely cares about the children and works hard to make sure every child succeeds.
I am so grateful for the excellent care my son and I have received. It’s made a tremendous difference in our lives.
I’m so thankful to have found you all.
About Us
TLC Occupational Therapy Program has a reputation of excellence in the community. We offer comprehensive evaluations, individual and group therapy, summer camps, and a variety of community services including periodic complimentary screenings, consultative services, and workshops.
We look forward to meeting you!
Our Philosophy
At the core of our program philosophy is the belief that our clinicians treat children, not disabilities. With that in mind, we develop individual treatment plans that are designed to meet the needs of each child in order to maximize development and independence with daily living skills.
Our Staff
Each of our occupational therapists hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, are registered through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and are licensed by the Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy.
Areas of Expertise
Most of our experienced staff have advanced degrees and additional training/certification in sensory processing, DIR®/Floortime™model for early intervention, Handwriting without Tears, Therapeutic Listening through Vital Links, Interactive Metronome, Astronaut Training Protocol.
Community
We offer a variety of community services including periodic complimentary screenings, consultative services, and workshops. These are available for local childcare, preschools, private schools and/or parent associations.
Insurance and Payment
Payment is due at the time of service unless prior arrangements have been made. Some insurance plans may cover selected services. We strongly recommend that you call your insurance carrier prior to scheduling any services to verify any coverage. Please call us to determine if we are in-network with your plan at (301) 424-5200.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Occupational Therapy
How do I know when my child needs an occupational therapy evaluation?
What is sensory processing?
How do I know my child needs occupational therapy (OT) to improve handwriting skills?
Programs
At TLC, we understand your child’s unique needs. Your child’s therapy is based on careful evaluation by a qualified professional. We create solutions for each child and provide practical recommendations. We can also collaborate with other TLC services to provide full-spectrum support for your child. Our state-of-the-art facilities include a multisensory environment and two sensory-motor gyms that offer a variety of rich, therapeutic experiences utilizing suspended equipment and materials to motivate and engage your child in the therapeutic process.
Parents of children in TLC’s occupational therapy program see their child gain increased confidence and independence with daily tasks, experience meaningful social interactions and build endurance, and increased strength and coordination to successfully participate in physical activities. Children learn to conquer their fears and make sense of the world around them so they can function at home, school, and in the community.
Evaluations
Evaluation is an integral part of the therapeutic process, as it provides the key to identifying each child’s unique needs and skills related to participation in “typical” childhood experiences.VISIT
Therapy
Therapy programs, as well as family education and home programming, are designed to meet the individual needs of each child in order to maximize development and independent performance in daily living skills.VISIT
Groups
Groups help children with sensory-motor concerns to gain skills and interact with others Programs utilize varying intervention models.
Evaluations
Evaluation
At TLC, we provide the highest quality evaluations. The evaluation is an integral part of the therapeutic process, as it provides the key to identifying each child’s unique needs and skills related to participation in “typical” childhood experiences such as school, peer and family relationships, sports, and play. We offer a range of evaluations depending on the individual needs of each child and they are comprised of both standardized and non-standardized assessments. The non-standardized assessments include clinical observations as well as questionnaires for the parents/caregivers and teachers. Evaluation results and recommendations are documented in comprehensive reports and discussed with the family.
Occupational Therapy evaluations address the following areas:
- Fine Motor Skills: hand dominance, dexterity, pencil grasp, self-care tasks such as feeding, dressing, manipulating fasteners and tying shoes.
- Gross Motor Skills: muscle strength, postural control, balance, coordination, jumping and climbing.
- Motor Planning/Praxis: conceiving, planning, sequencing and executing actions for new/unfamiliar motor tasks.
- Sensory Processing: the process in the nervous system that takes in sensory information from our environment and produces an adaptive response.
- Visual-Motor Skills/Handwriting: cutting, coloring, tracing and copying, handwriting and keyboarding.
For more information about our Occupational Therapy program, please contact us.
Therapy
Therapy Programs
At TLC, therapy is based on the unique needs of each child. Therapy is fun for the child and is skillfully managed by the therapist to ensure it is appropriate for the child and is set to the “just right challenge,” where the activity is not too difficult so that the child no longer wants to play but is not too easy so they lose interest quickly. It is this “just-right challenge” that ensures the child forms an adaptive response that will develop the functions in which the child is having problems.
Over the first several sessions, our clinicians work with your child to establish a rapport and develop a formal and individualized treatment plan that will include measurable goals. Parent input in this treatment planning process is critical. Progress reports are completed at regular intervals to document ongoing progress and continued areas of need. Frequency, length, and duration of therapy are determined by the clinical recommendations from an evaluation. Family education and home programming are an integral part of a child’s progress and the therapeutic process.
Therapy is coordinated with the other professionals participating in the child’s care. Services available within TLC include: hearing testing, speech-language therapy, counseling, psychological and educational testing, and tutoring. Referrals to other disciplines for additional services are made when appropriate.
Our Multisensory Environment (MSE) and two sensory-motor gyms offer a variety of rich, therapeutic experiences utilizing state-of-the-art suspended equipment and materials to motivate and engage the child in the therapeutic process. Therapy programs are designed to meet the individual needs of each child in order to maximize development and independent performance in daily living skills.
Occupational Therapy addresses the following areas:
- Self-regulation
- Sensory processing
- Body awareness
- Motor planning and development of fine and gross motor skills
For more information about our Therapy programs, please contact us.
Groups
At TLC, we offer several different group options, depending on the needs of your child. If your child is new to us, we schedule an initial free, 30-minute play visit. This is an opportunity for our clinicians to interact with your child, to determine the best possible group option and answer your questions.
Therapeutic Interaction Groups (IG)
TLC’s Interaction Group is for young children ages 2 ½ – 5 and is based on the Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-Based (DIR) model, focused on developing and improving communication, social interaction and sensory motor skills. The DIR model provides a developmental framework for interdisciplinary assessment and intervention for autism and other developmental and mental health challenges. The model uses affect-based interactions and experiences tailored to individual needs to promote development. Our Interaction Group (IG) team may include an occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist, psychologist or licensed counselor who use your child’s interests to encourage engagement and participation in group and individual activities. Parent education and coaching are provided to support parent-child interactions.
For more information about our Groups, please contact us.
Getting Started
Process and Procedures
Evaluations and therapy are by appointment only. We offer flexible scheduling with therapy sessions during the day, after school, and on Saturdays. Please contact us directly to schedule your appointment.
Insurance and Payment
Major credit cards accepted and a subsidy may be available for eligible families. Payment is due at the time of service unless prior arrangements have been made. Some insurance plans may cover selected services. We strongly recommend that you call your insurance carrier prior to scheduling any services to verify any coverage. Please call us to determine if you are in-network with your plan (301) 424-5200, ext 159.
Forms
New clients will need to fill out our forms prior to their first visit.CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO GET STARTED
Red Flags
Does your child have difficulties with day-to-day activities at home, school or out in the community? Do they experience challenges that do not seem to affect other children their age? If so, a pediatric occupational therapist may be able to help. Below is a list of red flags that may warrant an OT evaluation.
- Not reaching developmental motor milestones of siting, crawling or walking
- Struggling with handwriting
- Difficulty learning new motor tasks
- Avoiding coloring, drawing or cutting
- Clumsiness when running or climbing; difficulty learning how to ride a bike
- Covering ears with loud noises
- Always “on the go” or fidgety
- Bothered by tags in clothing
- Annoyed by messy hands and fingers
Contact Us
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Occupational Therapy
2092 Gaither Road, Suite 100
Rockville, MD 20850
Hours:
Monday, Friday: 8 – 6:30 pm
Tuesday – Thursday: 8 – 7:30 pm
Saturday: 8 – 2 pm
Joanna Kolker
(301) 424-5200, ext. 159
occupationaltherapy@ttlc.org