Children's Center
At Providence Regional Medical Center’s Children’s Center, we are dedicated to assisting families of children with health conditions that affect any area of their growth and development.
We offer services including speech, occupational and physical therapy as well as care coordination, family education and early intervention that focus on helping children to develop skills that will allow them to engage with their family, friends and community.
At the Children’s Center, we use a family-centered, parent coaching model where we value the parents as their child’s best teacher. This places importance on the interactions of the child with the parent/caregiver, while the therapist/professional supports this process with information and strategies to address each child’s goals.
The Providence Children’s Center has earned a reputation as a quality, comprehensive resource for children and families in need.
We offer comprehensive pediatric therapy services to meet each family’s needs, including help with finding community resources and coordinating care:
Occupational, Physical and Speech therapy services for children over 3 years old are provided in our center where we continue to focus on parent involvement in the therapy process and each child’s development. We use therapy frequency pathways to describe how often and how long your child will need treatment as they progress and develop. The therapist will work closely with you to determine the optimal treatment timeline for your family We offer comprehensive services to meet each family’s needs, including behavioral assessments and help with finding community resources and coordinating care.
Speech/language therapy focuses on supporting young children in developing non communication skills and includes working on language development, articulation skills (speech sound pronunciation), fluency and voice difficulties. Alternative/augmentative communication evaluations are also available to assist children who require alternative communication systems to support their development of verbal speech.
Occupational therapy is focused on activities that occupy our time and make our lives meaningful and purposeful. Our pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) help children who are having difficulty engaging in their everyday occupations of living which can include but is not limited to eating, sleeping, getting dressed, and playing. We collaborate with families and their child to improve their skills, modify the activity or task, as well as modify the environment so the child can be successful, despite cognitive, physical, neurological, or mental health impairments
Our physical therapists develop programs and strategies to help children improve control for activities like movement, walking, running and playing (gross motor skills). We teach you and your child how to work through a program that works into your daily routine so your child can improve their skills and function.
evaluations and therapy Feeding therapy assists children experiencing feeding difficulties and may include video-fluoroscopic swallow studies. Feeding therapy may be provided by either a speech pathologist, occupational therapist or physical therapist with specialized training.
Our family resource coordinators assist families of children under age 3 years, to access and enroll in early intervention services for their child and develop an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). The FRC can assist the child’s family with developmental concerns, delays or disabilities and accessing other community resources.
At Providence Children’s Center, we provide specialized programs as early as possible to give children the confidence, skills and support they need to succeed.
Our High-Risk Infant Assessment Program makes sure that babies who are born prematurely or need advanced care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) get the specialized, attentive care they need to grow up healthy and strong.
Our neonatal therapy team first interacts with families while the infants are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, working alongside the medical staff to provide infants and families with specialized developmental care, appropriate to the infant’s gestational age and abilities. Following discharge, families receive specialized follow up at the Children’s Center at 4 months of age to address any problems or concerns early on and keep your child’s development right on track. We will make recommendations of services we think your child will benefit from the most.
These services are provided in the child’s natural environment – e.g. in the child’s home, daycare or other community setting using a parent coaching model of service to enhance the development of children in everyday learning opportunities. We work in partnership with Snohomish County Birth to Three program to provide comprehensive services for our families including family resource coordination, education, specialized therapies, nutrition, hearing and vision services, etc.
The PIC program provides specialized support to families of young children who were exposed before birth to drugs or alcohol. This team includes a licensed social worker/ mental health provider and registered nurse.
Camp Prov is a fun, supportive, educational day camp for children with special needs and their siblings. Small groups of children are paired with leaders and volunteers for hours of fun, including arts and crafts, music, nature activities, dance and movement, swimming and sensory play. The one-week camps typically run July through August.
We offer a variety of classes for kids of all ages to explore their interests and socialize with their parents close by. Parents have a chance to meet other parents, take part in your child's learning, and have fun as a family.
Our classes provide opportunities for children and parents to play together while focusing on different areas of development in a social situation. Parents have a chance to meet other parents, take part in your child's learning and have fun as a family. (Classes are currently on hold due to COVID restrictions)
We understand that having a child with special needs can feel isolating, but know that you are not alone. We at the Children's Center are here to support you and your child every step of the way. These online resources can help you gain understanding and find additional support.
- Developmental Screening
- The Talaris Institute - The Talaris Institute has information on the developing child, 0-5 years.
- Zero to Three - Early Connections Last a Lifetime Information for parents and professionals.
- American Occupational Therapy Association - Site specific to children and youth. Useful for parents and professionals including educators.
- Infant SEE - healthy vision- Information about infant vision and access to no-cost vision assessments for children 6-12 months of age.
- Apraxia Kids - Information and resources for children with speech apraxia
- The Hanen Centre - Infant and toddler communication; early language intervention
- Northwest Augmentative Communication Society - Resources regarding augmentative and alternative communication
- Star Institute - Resources, education and research regarding Sensory Processing Disorders. For parents and professionals.
- Feeding Matters - Organization uniting the concerns of families with the field’s leading advocates, experts, and allied healthcare professionals to improve the system of care for pediatric feeding disorder through advocacy, education, support, and research.
- Snohomish County ARC - Community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
- Volunteers of America Western Washington
- 2-1-1 or call 21 - Vital service to get direction to and access to community resources.
- Early Support for Infants and Toddlers - The Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) program supports families with information and skills to ensure they are supported as the most critical influence on their child’s early learning and development. Also serves as a referral center for children from 0-3 years of age.
- Social Security Administration - Apply for disability benefits for children
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