Ongoing Programs at Kids Developmental Clinic

The KDC clinics launched an eight-week feeding program targeting picky eaters. This program addresses the underlying oral motor and sensory issues that have caused the child to fear and reject feeding experiences that are not a part of their usual and accepted routine. This is a collaborative approach with Speech-Language Pathologists and Occupational Therapists leading a multisensory peer group while providing parent education.

The Houston Ballet has completed a five-week class at each of our clinics. The class is free for our patients. We were excited to offer "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" movement class as part of the Houston's Ballet Community Outreach Program. This classes aims at teaching our patients about their body and how they can move different parts of their body through space. Our patients will also learn about words that describe movement such as up, down, over and around.

KDC and ESCAPE have partnered up to present this class series (7-week program) to KDC/KDT parents at our four locations. The program is FREE and open to all KDC/KDT families who are interested. ESCAPE Family Resources Center offers a wide range of parenting classes, one being the Exceptional Parenting class for parents of children with special needs. The classes, which provide parents the resources necessary to address issues of sadness, celebrate the unique qualities of special-needs children, meet emotional needs, plan for challenges, and teach children to be their own advocates. To participate parents must apply for the program. Classes were offered in Spanish and child care was provided.

At KDC-West we are helping families create healthy lifestyles for their children who have problems with weight. The program is research based and family focused, monitored by your child's pediatrician and designed and run by therapists. This camp is run by one of our Physical Therapists and its purpose is for families to create a healthy lifestyle in which obese/overweight children can lose weight, establish an ongoing fitness program, develop healthy attitudes, and become educated about the components of fitness and exercise. Please call our West Clinic (281-558-5437) for information and to be placed in the waiting list.

Kids Developmental Clinic offers an eight-week program for at-risk babies and their parents called SEED, or Stimulating and Enhancing Early Development. SEED focuses on enhancing the bond between baby and parent during the early development period.

Our therapists evaluate each baby to identify delays in the areas of motor development, feeding, communication and sensory processing and then provide activities and training to address those issues. Each one hour session will focus focuses on how important touch, movement, play, nurturing, safety and family life are in achieving the healthy development of the baby. Families complete the program with the knowledge and tools to continue helping in their child’s development.

Kids Developmental Clinic recognizes the positive therapeutic and recreational effects that animal assisted therapy (AAT) can have on children. All of our clinics utilize specially-trained animals and trainers as a modality in helping children reach their individual speech, occupational, and physical therapy goals.

Kids Developmental Clinic is affiliated with the Greater Houston Area’s best animal assisted therapy programs. When appropriate, animal assisted therapy, in conjunction with pediatric rehab therapy, allows the child to gain skills in many areas including strength and coordination, comprehension and production of language, activities of daily living, and improved social interactions. In addition, the animals have a calming effect on most children and are able to reduce stress. Lastly, while a child is working on tough therapy skills, an animal assisted therapy dog contributes to the child having more fun.

Kids Developmental Clinic is very proud of the relationship that we have with Houston’s own Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS). We host regular musical performances that allow our patients to be the stars of the show! We also have an ongoing music and movement program that was adapted from TUTS, that allows all of our patients to target their speech, occupational, and physical therapy goals through the modality of music.

Our patients, under the training of therapists and coaches, learn, rehearse, and perform musical numbers for their parents. Past shows include “High School Musical” and yearly Holiday performances. In addition, our patients participate in an ongoing music and movement program in which therapy goals are centered around a collaborative musical approach.

Captain Dave McCabe and his Crew from Sailing Angels Foundation take our KDC Crew (patients) sailing in Kemah on a regular basis. The children have fun learn knot-tying, navigation and piloting of the sailboat. We are planning ongoing sailing days in the near future. All our patients are invited to participate with one parent/caregiver.

As a convenience to our patients and to allow better continuity of care with other health care providers, Kids Developmental Clinic provides a regularly scheduled orthotics and wheelchair clinic on our premises. To ensure the most appropriate, best-fitting equipment, equipment supplier representatives and orthotists come to KDC to consult with the patient, family, and therapist.