Our Services
Three disciplines, one team. Here is what each kind of therapy does, who it helps, and how to tell whether your child might benefit.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy (OT) is a health profession that helps people improve the functioning of their nervous systems in order to develop skills, leading to success in everyday life including social, personal, academic, and vocational pursuits.
An Occupational Therapist is an allied health professional trained in the biological, physical, medical, and behavioral sciences, including neurology, anatomy, physiology, human development, kinesiology, orthopedics, and psychology. OTs must be certified by the Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Board of Texas to practice in the state of Texas.
Pediatrics is a specialty field of Occupational Therapy. Pediatric Occupational therapists can specialize in Sensory Integration and Praxis.
Occupational Therapy helps children develop the basic sensory and motor components which influence learning and behavior, such as body awareness, coordinating two sides of the body, fine motor control and organization, motor planning, motor movements and coordination, gross motor coordination, ocular motor skills, and visual perceptual skills.
Therapy helps to develop the underlying skills necessary for learning and performing specific tasks, as well as social and behavioral skills, self-concept, and confidence. Occupational Therapists not only work directly with the child, but also with the parents and the family in order to educate and reinforce specific skills and behaviors which will be used to improve and facilitate the child's performance and functioning.
Sensory Integration develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities. For most of us sensory integration occurs automatically, unconsciously, and without effort. But for some children sensory integration does not develop efficiently. When the process of sensory integration does not occur, a number of problems in development, learning, language, social skills, and behavior may become evident.
Who occupational therapists work with
Occupational Therapists work with the following populations, but are not limited to:
- Attention deficit disorder (ADD) with or without hyperactivity (ADHD)
- Autism, Asperger's, and other pervasive developmental disorders (PDD)
- Specific learning disabilities
- Motor coordination difficulties
- Cerebral Palsy
- Down Syndrome
- Visual impairments
- Multi-handicapped
- Developmental disorders
- Vestibular disorders
- Neuromuscular disease
- Premature birth — before 32 week gestational age
- Low birth weight — below 1500 grams
- Genetic disorders
- Neurological insult occurring before, during, or after birth
- Delays in developmental skills
- Sensory processing skills
- Poor organization of behavior — state regulation
Your child might benefit from OT if they have:
- Poor coordination
- Decreased balance, the clumsy child
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Delayed motor skill development
- Low muscle tone or strength
- Difficulty with handwriting
- Been diagnosed with a learning disability: dyslexia, dysgraphia
- Difficulty completing tasks that seem easily attained by peers
- Behavioral or social skill issues
- Decreased attention or ability to participate in age appropriate activities
- Decreased self esteem and self concept
- Decreased visual skills including visual perceptual skills and ocular motor skills
- Difficulties with feeding, is a picky eater or a messy eater
If you think your child may benefit from Occupational Therapy, download one of the following checklists for parents and teachers.
Speech, Language and Feeding Therapy
All children develop differently. However, if you are concerned about how your infant, toddler or child is developing with communication skills or feeding, you might consider a speech, language or feeding evaluation.
What is speech and language therapy?
Play is children's "work." Children learn best through play and natural environments, so our speech and language therapy sessions look like play. We use toys, books and games that assist your child in development, but that are fun for your child. Our environment is set up to feel as natural as possible. We will help you use similar activities at home so your child can practice new speech and language skills.
What is feeding therapy?
Feeding therapy looks different depending on the age of your baby or child. Therapy sessions will be designed with your specific child's needs in mind — bottle feeding, spoon feeding or learning to eat new foods or food textures. Similar to language therapy, feeding therapy for the toddler or older child will be developmentally appropriate and fun for both you and your child.
We will work with any professionals important to your child's development and needs including the occupational or physical therapist, pediatrician, gastroenterologist, dietitian/nutritionist, or other physician.
Your child might benefit from speech therapy if they have:
- Decreased ability to communicate
- Limited vocabulary for their age
- Poor articulation and enunciation
- Stuttering and fluency issues
- Difficulty understanding what is said to them, difficulty following directions
- Poor verbal or written expression
- Difficulty listening in noisy environments
- Immature sentence structure, immature language, or uses nonspecific words frequently
- Difficulty with problem-solving
- Poor social skills, difficulty having a conversation
- Difficulty with bottle feeding, difficulty with eating: low oral motor tone, drools, is a picky eater
- Decreased attention, difficulty functioning in a group setting
- Difficulty with reading, spelling, and/or writing
- Dyslexia
If you think your child may benefit from Speech Therapy, download the Speech & Language Developmental Checklist.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is the preservation, enhancement, or restoration of movement and physical function impaired or threatened by disability, disease, or injury that utilizes therapeutic exercise, physical modalities (such as massage), assistive devices, and patient education and training.
Pediatric physical therapy focuses on improving gross motor skills, balance, trunk control, strength, range of motion, safety in the environment, and activities of daily living. Additionally, pediatric physical therapy can assist with decreasing pain and with return to function after a fracture or minor injury.
Who physical therapists work with
Diagnoses include but are not limited to the following:
- Autistic Spectrum Disorder
- Down Syndrome
- Cerebral Palsy
- Seizure Disorders / Epilepsy
- Rett's
- Torticollis
- Hypotonia
- Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Hydrocephalus
- Brain Injury / Concussion
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Ankle sprains / post-casting fractures
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Motor Coordination Disorder
- Developmental Disorders
- Neuromuscular Disease
- Genetic Disorders
- Mitochondrial Disorders
- Metabolic Disorders
- Developmental Delay, including premature infants
Your child might benefit from PT if they:
- Have poor coordination: if they fall often, trip or run into objects frequently, or even seem uncoordinated jumping and running
- Demonstrate poor balance
- Have delayed gross motor skill development
- Have poor trunk strength: seem to slouch or "w" sit frequently, have trouble staying in a chair or sitting upright on the floor
- As an infant, seem to only be looking one way or have a tilted head position
- Have suffered an injury and are having difficulty recovering on their own
- Seem weaker than peers or have trouble keeping up with peers at school (such as in PE)
- Walk on toes frequently
- Complain of pain such as in back, foot, etc.
- Seem to walk differently than peers or with poor alignment
What makes us different
Three disciplines, one roof
Occupational, speech, and physical therapists who work as a team — and talk to each other about your child.
Relationship-based care
Every session is built on the DIR/Floortime model: follow the child's lead, build the relationship, then build the skill.
A home, not a clinic
We're housed in an updated 1950s South Austin home under a historic oak — gym rooms, an art room, a quiet room, and a garden out back.
Families in the room
Parents and caregivers are part of therapy, not spectators. You leave with strategies that work at home.
Frequently asked questions
How do we get started at KidWorks?
Give our front office a call at (512) 444-7219. We'll ask a few questions about how your child is doing, along with your contact and insurance details, and then schedule an evaluation.
Before the appointment, download and fill out a New Client Packet — or the infant version for babies — and either fax it to (512) 444-6005 or bring it with you on the day.
Do we need a doctor's referral?
Yes. A doctor's prescription is required for an Occupational, Speech, or Physical Therapy evaluation. If you don't have one, your pediatrician or primary care physician can fax one to our clinic.
What ages do you work with?
Babies through adolescents. Our therapists work with newborns and infants — including feeding, positioning, and early milestones — right through school-aged children and teens. Our myofunctional program also treats adults.
How long is an evaluation, and what happens?
A typical evaluation lasts an hour to an hour and a half. Please arrive on time and make yourself comfortable in our waiting room. Your evaluating therapist will meet you and your child there and give you a tour of our space to help your child settle in.
Dress your child in comfortable play clothes so they have full range of motion for testing.
Can I stay and watch?
That's entirely your call — your therapist will leave it up to you whether you'd like to observe the evaluation. If you're not sure how to explain the visit to your child beforehand, call us and we'll help you find the words for their age and situation. KidWorks is a warm, friendly place, and you can reassure your child they'll have fun here.
Do you take insurance?
Most of our families use their insurance benefits. Our billing team can walk you through what your plan covers before you start — call (512) 444-7219 and ask for billing, and take a look at our Insurance Guidelines.
One exception: we are not able to file insurance for our small-group KidTalk sessions.
What are your hours?
We are open Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm, and Saturday from 9:00am to 2:00pm. The front office is closed on Saturday.
Can you provide a school absence note?
Yes. School excused absence slips can be provided on request — just ask your therapist or the front office.
Where are you located?
We're at 3607 Menchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78704, in the heart of South Austin near the intersection of Menchaca and S. Lamar. We're in a house up a small hill on the east side of the road. See our directions page for turn-by-turn routes, and give us a call at (512) 444-7219 if you get lost.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us a little about your child and we'll help you work out whether an evaluation makes sense — and which of our therapists is the right fit.