Intensive Therapy in Los Angeles

What is Intensive Therapy?

It’s a focused burst of therapy. Instead of the typical, weekly 1-hour session, we dial up the frequency and length of sessions. With more time per week dedicated to therapy, your child quickly develops new skills through continual repetition to build on progress from session to session and accelerate their overall development

As with all our therapy programs, each session is tailored to your child’s endurance, interests, personality, and unique needs. A typical intensive meets for 1-3 hours, 4-5 times a week for 4 weeks. Because this model is all about making massive gains in a specific area in a short amount of time, we focus on 3-4 goals that will have the greatest impact. 

Oh! And we don’t want to forget to mention the most important ingredient – PLAY!  We infuse learning through play into everything we do. So all that hard work in therapy feels like fun, too. 

Top Reasons People Opt for Intensives

• School is underway and your child is falling behind because developmentally they don’t have the motor or sensory skills to keep up (for example, difficulty with handwriting)

• You’re ready to jump in full force to get your child’s challenges addressed in the shortest amount of time. 

• Your child has a neurological condition such as cerebral palsy or a TBI and you want to give them the repetition they need for optimal brain rewiring.

• You worry if appointments are spread out over too long, your child will forget skills between appointments and therapy will be never-ending. 

• Your child has struggled to meet milestones and now is the time to get them caught up in preparation for pre-k, kindergarten, early elementary, or junior high.

What Skills Get Addressed in Intensive Therapy? 

Schools these days are more fast-paced than ever! Unfortunately, that means kids who develop more slowly fall behind and struggle to ever catch up. Intensives are a great option to fast-track progress and get your child on the path to success. 

• Developmental skills for success in school – core strength, crossing midline, scissor skills, grasp patterns for writing, fine motor skills, organizational skills, planning, and problem-solving.

• Brain rewiring for neurological challenges – learn to increase the use of a limb, postural responses for sitting or standing.

• Feeding challenges – overcome gagging or limited diet by addressing sensorimotor or cranial nerve issues.

Don’t get stuck in therapy for years when you can knock out the problem more quickly. 

Reasons We Love Intensives

Here’s the exciting part! A child can make the equivalent of 6 to 9 months of progress in as little as 3 weeks. 

• Session to Session Growth: As new skills get learned, the repetition ensures they’re practiced and retained. Progress isn’t lost between sessions or after therapy is completed. 

• Brain Rewiring: Consistent practice helps rewire the brain and strengthen the muscles at the same time.

• Clear Goals: Instead of making very little progress in many areas, we continually build towards the carefully selected goals to get massive progress in those key areas. 

• Clear Timeline: With this extra attention and time investment, kids catch up developmentally so they are ready in time to meet academic expectations. 

Plus, quick results can be a huge confidence boost for your child. It’s a feeling like no other to see their joy as they celebrate their progress!

Give Your Child the Gift of Progress

Yes, it’s an investment of time and money upfront. But it’s really the same amount you’re going to spend with ongoing therapy over the course of months or years. Except now, your child has already reached those goals and gets to use those skills in everyday life.

After the Intensive

Because every child is different, Theraplay LA has options to meet a variety of needs. Your therapist will help you determine which option might be the best fit for you. 

One and Done: Some kids have one main challenge that gets taken care of and then they don’t need services anymore.

Ongoing Support: Traditional weekly sessions begin after completing the intensive. Your child can further build on the gains from the intensive or work towards new goals. 

As Needed: Some families just prefer the intensive model for bursts of progress when needed. This entails spending three weeks catching up or getting ahead on developmental skills and returning down the line when your child needs a boost again. 

Want to Learn More About the Effectiveness of Intensive Therapy? Check Out the Studies Below!

Intensive Physical and Occupational Therapy

Intensive Speech Therapy for Stroke

Intensive Speech Therapy for Motor Speech Disorders

Intensive Speech Therapy for Cleft Palate

Intensive Speech Therapy for Functional Voice Disorders

Intensive Speech Therapy for Dysphonia

Intensive Physical Therapy for Cerebral Palsy

Intensive Physical Therapy From a Patient and Therapist Perspective