top of page
Writer's pictureLearning Tree

What are the services offered by a PPEC?



Everything You Need to Know About PPEC and Therapy Services at Learning Tree PPEC


Learning Tree PPEC is located in Orlando, Florida, in the SODO neighborhood. Downtown Orlando is a 10-minute drive, and we are located five minutes from Arnold Parmer Hospital and Winnie Palmer Hospital. We provide a wide range of PPEC services, including Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Physical Therapy. Learning Tree PPEC (prescribed pediatric extended care) is a medical daycare that offers nursing care to medically fragile children from birth to 21 years of age.

Learning Tree PPEC coordinates with the family's insurance provider/Medicaid to ensure that there are NO out-of-pocket expenses and that every child will receive all the required therapies.


Learning Tree PPEC has partnered with a highly qualified and trusted group of therapists, who provide PPEC services like Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy at the PPEC six days per week. All the little ones attending the PPEC can receive these services.

At Learning Tree PPEC the morning begins with the children's arrival, either by bus or with their parents, and then we get to work. A nurse checks the child's vitals (such as temperature and oxygen saturation) and completes a full head-to-toe assessment to ensure they are in good shape to start their day.

After they eat breakfast and receive their medications, they are ready to go to their respective therapy rooms.



Types of therapies in PPEC services


Let’s talk about the three different therapies the little ones receive while being at the PPEC: Physical Therapy (PT), Occupational Therapy (OT), and

Speech Therapy (SLP).


Physical Therapy (PT)

PT therapists evaluate and treat infants and children with deficits in gross motor skills, always observing the goal of helping the child reach their full potential leading to functional independence. Physical therapy works on coordination skills, endurance, gait training (learning to walk), strengthening, range of motion, balance, and tone management for infants and children, including developmental activities like rolling, crawling, and tummy time.

For example, Physical therapy is a standard part of the treatment plan for cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that can make it hard for children to control their bodies. When working with a child who has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, the therapist will help the child learn to work with their body and develop more control over time.

Children may also need physical therapy to treat conditions such as developmental delays, muscle diseases, birth defects, and genetic disorders.

In PPEC services, there are different types of physical therapy. At Learning Tree PPEC, our PT will evaluate the child and create a treatment plan. The goal is to help the child achieve all the goals set for a specific period of time, which most of the time is at least six months.

The therapists can also assist the parents or caregivers in obtaining appropriate equipment such as orthotics (braces), walkers, gait trainers, standing frames, and wheelchairs for the patient's benefit.


Occupational Therapy (OT)

OT therapists help infants and children with daily routines such as play, self-help, and education. Occupational therapy helps patients with difficulties in movement, coordination, and cognitive functions. It also promotes learning and independent play by exploring their environment using their hands and other senses.

OT will help the patient to succeed in fine motor coordination, cognitive development, upper body strengthening, positioning, feeding, grooming, dressing, and sensory processing skills.

At Learning Tree PPEC the OT team provides therapy services to children from premature newborns to age 21. The OT therapists promote activities that enable children to learn and develop life skills, be creative, enjoy and thrive in age-appropriate Activities of Daily Living (ADL).

Pediatric OTs also work to improve underlying skills that enable the child to participate in appropriate occupations. "Occupations" are the day-to-day activities that make up the child's existence, including learning, socializing, and playing.

The OT team at Learning Tree PPEC collaborates with parents, caregivers, teachers, and other allied health professionals to identify and maximize a child who experiences delays or developmental challenges.

Part of the PPEC services at Learning Tree includes the evaluation by an Occupational Therapist of every child who attends. Each child's qualities, requirements, and objectives are taken into consideration while formulating a treatment plan.

The OT may use different activities, such as throwing and catching balls of various sizes and weights and obstacle courses, to help the child with things like balance and coordination. In addition, a child with low muscle tone and core body strength does not always have the ability to sit up and be in an alert position.

In this case, the OT can practice crab walking, curls, rolling, and bouncing on a therapy ball to help with this deficit. At Learning Tree PPEC, the OTs will often work on gross motor skills in collaboration with physical therapists since some of their goals are so much aligned.


Speech treatment (SPL)

Speech Therapy for medically complex patients varies from developing communication skills and sounds and making eye contact using functional objects or toys. For example, speech therapy may teach sign language skills and use picture boards or communication devices to help children communicate their basic wants and needs or more complex thoughts and ideas.

The term "speech therapy," sometimes referred to as "linguistic therapy,” is a form of intervention to enhance the child's capacity to comprehend and express themselves in linguistic form. The outcome will be different for every single child. In addition, there are a variety of aspects that will determine how long the treatment will last.

Speech therapy focuses on oral motor skills, strengthening the muscles needed for speech, sucking, swallowing, and chewing. In older children, it helps to develop vocabulary, grammar, and articulation, improving how children say sounds in words to be better understood. A child’s life comprises “occupations” — daily activities such as playing, learning, and socializing.

At Learning Tree PPEC, the SPL team also provide Feeding therapy to help the child learn how to eat or how to eat more efficiently and effectively. They target oral motor skills and/or expand a child’s diet to provide for more variety in fruits, vegetables, meats, etc.

The SPL team works with children and their families to help them succeed in activities throughout the day and achieve all their goals.

At Learning Tree PPEC, we understand the challenges of caring for a child with functional diversity. This is why our services customize each child's particular condition in a fun-filled, safe, and enriching atmosphere. We have created a space for our little ones to grow and enjoy their time with us with a lot of love and attention.



Our PPEC services are unique. Our space is big and clean. Your child will be able to receive all of the necessary services in one location, which enables you as a parent or caregiver to go back to work or school and relieves you of the responsibility of making multiple trips to access all the required services.

Learning Tree PPEC of Orlando currently employs bilingual (Spanish) employees. Our mission is to provide convenience, flexibility, and peace of mind for you and your family. Allow us to be your child's home away from home, with regular and weekend hours of operation. Patients attending Learning Tree PPEC in Orlando can also receive free medical transportation services within Orlando, Kissimmee, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, and surrounding areas. from home for pick up and drop off.

We appreciate you taking the time to read this and learn more about Learning Tree PPEC and our fantastic partnership with our therapy team. We work together as a collaborative team to provide the best possible care for our patients!

Take a look at the images and the accompanying captions to understand better our collaboration and a typical day in the life of a PPEC therapist.


コメント


bottom of page