Therapy Services

Students with developmental disabilities often face challenges that are different from those faced by other students. Many parents take special needs students outside of school for therapy. To prevent disruptions in learning, Bynum School offers students neurologic music®, occupational, physical, and speech therapies during school hours at no additional cost to the family.

Speech Therapy

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) address communication problems in people of all ages. A speech therapist assesses and treats communication disorders, including:

Hearing and speech disorders
Language development disorders
Stuttering
Feeding
Social skills

Speech therapy may take place in a small group or one-on-one, depending on the speech disorder. Exercises and activities vary depending upon the child’s disorder, age, and needs. SLPs collaborate with other therapists and teachers to accelerate skill development in all environments.

During speech therapy for children, the SLP may:

Use books, pictures, communication devices, and other objects as part of language intervention, which can help stimulate language development
Model correct sounds and syllables for a child during age-appropriate play to teach the child how to make certain sounds
Educate parents and children about how to support speech therapy at home by providing strategies and homework

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy (OT) helps people of all ages with physical, sensory, or cognitive difficulties. Occupational therapists help with barriers that hinder a person's emotional, social, and physical needs. They do this through everyday activities, exercises, and collaboration with other types of therapies.

Benefits:

Fine motor skills (small-muscle movements made with the hands, fingers, and toes, such as grasping)
Visual-perceptual skills
Cognitive (thinking) skills
Sensory-processing skills

Therapists evaluate each student and develop an individual plan. They utilize sensory integration strategies, sensory diets, and Learning Without Tears. When appropriate, occupational therapy may be combined with other treatments, including speech and neurologic music therapy.

Neurologic Music Therapy®

Neurologic Music Therapy® (NMT™) is an evidence-based treatment model that uses standardized, research-based techniques to treat the brain using specific elements of music such as rhythm, melody, dynamics, tempo, etc. Neurologic Music Therapists® are trained in the neuroscience of music perception, production, and cognition. The Neurologic Music Therapist® uses standardized techniques to achieve non-musical goals such as speech, physical movement, awareness, and other functional abilities.

This therapy provides individualized activities to reinforce goals, including on-task behaviors, communication skills, socialization skills, fine and gross motor skills, eye contact, relaxation, texture and sound sensitivity, and leisure training.

NMT™ activities include:

Singing
Rhythmic movements
Playing instruments

The Neurologic-Music Therapy® room has pianos, drums, tone chimes, and guitars.

Physical Therapy

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Physical Therapy helps students with disabilities overcome their physical challenges, allowing them to reach their educational goals. It also helps students with strength, mobility, balance, and coordination training.

Physical Therapy can also help students develop skills that will allow them to participate in group play or other extracurricular activities. It helps students access their school environment with less difficulty, enables them to reach their developmental milestones (such as gross motor skills), and improves their independence in school.

Physical Therapy helps students with:

Mobility and better access to the school environment

Balance and coordination training

Independence in the school environment by improving strength and stability

Assistance for families in obtaining the necessary equipment (e.g., walkers, wheelchairs, foot braces) to help their child achieve independence.