Pediatric Patients

Welcome to FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers

We know you have many options when choosing where your child goes to receive therapy services, and we thank you for choosing FYZICAL.  We believe that one of our first and most important contributions to your child's success is helping you and your family navigate the process of establishing the best treatment team and plan to fit your child's specific needs.  Our goal is to provide you with the most accurate and detailed information possible, so that we can ensure a great experience for the whole family.  The relationships you, your child and your family will form with our clinical and administrative team will feel like a therapeutic alliance; all working towards the goal of helping your child reach their maximum potential.  If you have ANY questions about what is happening during your child's therapy sessions, simply ask.  We encourage questions throughout your child's rehab journey and promise to provide clear, concise answers about their treatments, condition and program.

First Visit Information

Your child's first therapy visit consists of an initial evaluation and will be approximately 45-60 minutes. Our Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy evaluations incorporate toys, games, and kid-friendly activities. The therapist will discuss your concerns, your goals, and your child’s case history (e.g. developmental milestones) during the initial visit. The therapist will also observe your child during play and during structured activities that look at specific skills. Based on your child’s age, ability, and comfort level, parents may be asked to separate from their child during parts of the evaluation and/or treatment and be asked to wait in the waiting room. Often, a standardized test will be administered that will compare your child’s skills with the skills of other children that are the same age. At the end of the evaluation (and often during the evaluation), the therapist will discuss the skills and areas of need that he/she is observing during the evaluation and determine if therapy is warranted. Following the evaluation, your therapist will write a report, formulate goals, and establish a plan of care that will be shared with your child’s doctor.  Copies will be available for parents/caregivers upon request.

Please arrive 15 minutes early so that our front office staff can organize your paperwork and make any necessary copies of your health records and insurance cards.  To save time, prior to your initial appointment, you will receive a welcome email from our office which will include our Pediatric Registration forms and Family Welcome Booklet.  Please take your time and complete the registration form and all signatures as accurately as possible as they will help us serve you and your child to the highest level and make sure that your first visit is a meaningful and effective one.  Once completed, please print and bring them with you to your initial appointment, or you can choose to email or fax them back to us.  Paper copies will be available upon arrival, however please plan to arrive 20 minutes prior to your appointment time to complete.  Downloadable copies can also be found within our INTAKE FORMS tab under the FOR PATIENTS section on our website.

What Should I Bring to My Child's Initial Evaluation/ Appointment?

• Printed registration form (or email to eastlansing@fyzical.com, fax to 517.333.8539)
• Prescription from child's pediatrician/physician (or have doctor's office fax directly to us)
• Insurance card(s)
• Payment for any co-payments, deductibles, co-insurance or private-pay rates
• Parent/caregiver driver’s license/ID
• List of current medications
• Reports or school paperwork if applicable (IEP, 504 plan) and/or related therapy evaluations or treatment records
• Any devices utilized for communication (core board, iPad, etc)
• Diagnostic imaging/surgical reports (MRI, CT, X-Ray, VNG, etc)
• Child's favorite toy or personal item that will make them feel comfortable
• If your child is being seen for feeding/swallowing therapy, your therapist may recommend specific foods, liquids, etc.
• Any questions or concerns you may have

What Should My Child Wear to Therapy?

• Loose, comfortable clothing or athletic wear
• Clothing which allows us to evaluate your child's area of injury (if applicable)
• Appropriate shoes for exercising/playing (no flip-flops or sandals)

How Long Does Each Visit Take?

The initial visit takes a little longer than the subsequent visits due to the paperwork that you need to fill out, in addition to the completion of the assessment process. Normally, appointments are 30 minutes depending on your child's specific needs.  If your child requires more than one specialty, for example OT and SLP services, your child will be seen in each discipline for approximately 30 minutes each.

How Long Will My Child Need Therapy?

Your child's doctor and therapist will determine how many times a week they will need to attend therapy and their progress will be monitored by the referring physician.  You will need to attend therapy sessions until you and your therapist decide that your child has reached their individual goals, their desired level of function or that further therapy would not be beneficial. 

It is also important to understand your child’s progress can only be made with CONSISTENT attendance. We create reoccurring outstanding appointments on the day of the initial evaluation – this allows us to commit to your availability and limit the likelihood of you missing your scheduled appointments. Please see our cancellation and no-show policy in the Welcome Packet for more details on attendance rate requirements and potential fees.

Will My Child See the Same Therapist Every Time?

In most cases, your child will see the same therapist each session, however this depends on your availability for scheduling, your location preference and the evaluating therapist’s schedule.  Although uncommon, there may be times when another therapist or therapist assistant will treat your child to accommodate your schedule and account for when your child's therapist is on vacation or is sick, etc. All of our therapists and assistants are fully-licensed or certified and enjoy delivering high-quality care.