By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Theraplay Learning Center, a pediatric occupational and physical therapy center, is opening a new location in Hays.
Theraplay was founded in Norton by Renee Miller, OT, Sue Rossi, OT, and Randa Vollertsen, PT. It is the only outpatient clinic for pediatric occupational and physical therapy in northwest Kansas.
Hannah Hesston, who will be an occupational therapist at the new clinic, said the partners in Norton hoped they could reach more children by expanding into Hays. She said the center hopes to be another resource for parents.
“The children right now get services through the school district,” Hesston said. “That has all that has been around because there hasn’t been a clinic. There’s additional interventions and activities and areas that an out-patient clinic could focus on.”
Both clinics will serve young people ages birth through 21 years old.
Some of the areas that the therapists at the centers specialize in are traumatic brain injury, autism, spectrum disorders, sensory processing differences, handwriting challenges, fine and gross motor developmental delays, feeding difficulties, genetic disorders, reflex integrations, orthotics, infant torticollis (which is condition affecting the muscles in a newborn’s neck), and plagiocephaly, which is a flat spot on a baby’s head.
The therapies at both centers are play based. Hesston gave the example of child who might have sensory issues. A therapist might introduce play using water or have them dig through beans to help that child to feel more calm when experiencing that sensation.
The enter also has a climbing structure. The climbing helps the children learn to use both sides of their bodies and develop motor planning, where your brain learns to move one arm and then the next. Swings help children with balance and their sense of movement.
Play can also help with children’s attentiveness and mood regulation.
“Children, play is their biggest occupation. It is how they learn, so we wanted to create a space where we could address the needs in more of a play-based setting,” Hesston said.
She said the ultimate goal is to increase children’s independence.
Insurance generally covers the cost of therapy. Both centers work with insurance companies from across the state, and Theraplay is working to contract with insurance providers in Nebraska.
The owners also hope to soon add speech therapy services to their clinics.
Parents can seek referrals from their children’s physicians or can self refer.
You can make an appointment with the Hays center by calling (785) 675-0443 or emailing [email protected].
Hesston said she and the other therapists would be happy to answer any questions. The Hays center will have an open house from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at 1007 E. 13th.
The Hays center will open for business on Monday. Definitive hours have yet to be set, but the center will be open Mondays through Fridays by appointment.