FAQs

What should I bring to my first visit with ITS?

Please be sure to bring your insurance card for us to make a copy for our files. Also, please gather any previous evaluations or information that would be helpful to the therapist.

Parent Packet

The information is needed to ensure that the therapist can be better prepared to help your child.  This allows the therapist to devise a plan that will best suit your child and his/her individual needs. Please download the Parent Pack and complete before your appointment. Thank you very much and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Will you bill my insurance?

As a courtesy, we will gladly submit claims to any insurance company on file. Patient balances will vary depending on each individual’s benefit plan. If you choose not to utilize your insurance, or do not have insurance coverage, please inquire about our options, including an administrative discount for payment made at time of service. We are in-network providers for Anthem PPO and Aetna PPO, but we will need to check your specific plan to make sure that you are covered. We can  bill other insurance companies if you have out of network coverage.

Is it necessary to verify benefits before beginning treatment?

We strongly encourage you to contact your insurance company independently to become familiar with their coverage and/or therapy limitations.  You are ultimately responsible if your insurance does not pay for your child’s services.

How often and how long are the sessions?

Generally, children attend 1-2 times weekly, for sessions lasting 60 minutes. We will do our best to find a standing appointment time that is convenient for you and your child.

Do the parents come to sessions, or can I drop my child off?

Parents or care providers are expected to be on-site during intervention sessions. Typically, we encourage parents to remain with their children and actively participate in the therapy process. Parents’ hands-on involvement in actual training sessions varies according to the child’s age and developmental goals. Our goal is to provide parents with the tools they need to incorporate intervention goals at home and in the community. Should parents or care providers leave the site for any reason during a child’s session, they must leave a number where they can be reached and return at least 10 minutes before the end of the scheduled treatment time.

Where is therapy provided and who will be working with my child?

Your child will be seen by one of our highly-qualified occupational therapists. We will pair your child with the most appropriate therapist specific to his/her needs. Therapy may be provided at a child’s school or at one of our clinics.

Integrated Therapy Services is proud to have a relationship with academic occupational therapy programs at various universities. We are committed to training high level professionals in pediatric occupational therapy. Therefore, professional level students may be present in the therapy rooms during your child’s sessions.

Do your therapists have special training?

All of the occupational therapists at Integrated Therapy Services hold either a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited occupational therapy program. In addition, they have passed a national certification examination and hold Virginia state licensure.

We place a high value on continuing education for our therapists. Some of the areas in which our team members are trained include: Sensory Integration theory and treatment, Therapeutic Listening, Interactive Metronome, Astronaut Training Protocol and the Wilbarger deep pressure/brushing protocol.

What is the difference between Occupational Therapy and Sensory Integration therapy?

Occupational therapy is a rehabilitation profession licensed in 48 states and regulated in all 50 states. Sensory Integration is a modality that occupational therapists use when working with certain types of children. Sensory Integration, while covered as a topic during a therapist’s education, is not usually taught in-depth. Therefore, therapists interested in using this modality in their practice must seek out specialized training in this technique. The proper implementation of sensory integration therapy requires specialized equipment including suspended equipment. Some therapists may use techniques which impact a child’s sensory system, but sensory integration therapy requires specialized, suspended equipment.

More information about Occupational Therapy ›
More information about Sensory Integration ›

If my child is under three years old and I notice he/ she is not keeping pace with her peers or has troubling behavior, what should I do?

First, you should contact your pediatrician and rule out any medical condition that may account for your child’s difficulty. If no medical problem is found, you can contact the Department of Health, Early Intervention Program in your county of residence and request an evaluation, which is free. Should you choose to seek services outside of the county’s EI program you can contact a therapist (psychologist, OT, PT etc) privately.

Can my child get occupational therapy through his preschool/school?

Integrated Therapy Services works with several public and private schools in the Richmond area. Your child must “qualify” for services in school. Your child may be eligible for services. Your school district makes that determination. If your child qualifies for special education and has an IEP, then he or she may qualify for occupational therapy. Your child’s problems must be “educationally relevant” in order to receive OT as a “related service” in school. If your child is “eligible” for special education services you may request an occupational thereapy evaluation to determine his/her need for occupational therapy.

If my child is receiving occupational therapy in school, but has other non-school related issues, should I pursue additional therapy?

Only parents can assess to what extent their child’s difficulties influence the quality of his/her life. If your child’s problems impacts his/her self esteem, peer relationships, functioning within daily routines or successful participation in age appropriate activities is compromised, occupational therapy can help. If your child receives occupational therapy services at school for educationally related problems and you feel that there are other issues which should be addressed; or, you would like to supplement the services provided by your child’s school, you may do so on a private basis.

What is involved in therapy, will my child be upset by attending therapy?

When occupational therapy is done right, children love to attend! Therapy looks like play (and it is for the child) but the activities are chosen with great specificity for each child. Children love therapy because a great therapist can establish a relationship with a child and challenge them with just the right challenge. That means that the child learns new skills or copes with previously difficult situations without being overwhelmed or frustrated.

More information about our Occupational Therapy services ›

What kinds of problems does occupational therapy address?

Occupational therapy can help:

• Facilitate dressing, eating and independence in hygiene
• Develop a child’s sense of balance and equilibrium
• Diminish fearfulness and decrease anxiety
• Decrease sensitivity to touch, movement, sound or crowded places
• Improve gross and fine motor skills
• Increase dexterity
• Improve handwriting
• Improve overall strength
• Improve overall coordination
• Improve visual perceptual skills
• Improve coping skills
• Increase overall internal organization, focus, and attention

When is treatment terminated?

Clients “graduate” from therapy when they have received the maximum benefit from treatment or have reached the desired functional level. This will be determined by the therapist, in conjunction with the client, parent, physician and/or teachers. Our therapists take pride in the number of children who “graduate”.

What do I need to do to schedule an appointment?

Simply contact ITS and we will go over the details with you.