by Pam McGrath
St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s Therapy Services has opened a new satellite location in O’Fallon, Missouri, adjacent to Progress West Hospital. At approximately 5,000 square feet, the new facility provides physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy to pediatric and adolescent patients.
“St. Charles County continues as one of the state’s fastest-growing communities, and we are committed to providing therapy services at a convenient location for the families we serve in that area,” says Susan Hibbits, OTR/L, director of neurosciences at Children’s Hospital. “Children’s Therapy at Progress Point is an answer to the requests we’ve received from our physician partners in St. Charles County as well as patients and their parents.”
The Progress Point location features a spacious gym as well as four private rooms, two for physical therapy and one each for occupational therapy and speech therapy. According to Sarah Becker, MS, CCC-SLP, director of therapy and audiology services, the facility draws on the best features of Children’s Hospital’s other therapy locations.
“For instance, the occupational therapy and speech therapy rooms are purposely designed to have less stimulation and distractions so that our patients can better concentrate. The rooms also are insulated to reduce noise and have lights that can be dimmed,” says Becker. “In the gym, we’ve built measurements into the floor for various tests we routinely perform, all designed specifically for pediatrics.”
The facility currently is staffed by four physical therapists, 
an occupational therapist and speech therapist; additional therapists will be added as patient volumes increase. The quickly growing patient base includes those with orthopedic problems, congenital disorders, musculoskeletal issues, pain, developmental delays, language disorders and autism. In some cases, patients from the Young Athlete Center at the Children’s Specialty Care Center are seen for routine therapy that doesn’t require the specialized equipment offered at the west St. Louis County location.
“For all our therapy patients, our goal is to provide them with the testing, equipment and therapy that is best for them, whether it’s at Children’s Hospital’s main campus, the Children’s Specialty Care Center or a satellite location,” says Becker. “For many of our St. Charles County patients, Children’s Therapy at Progress Point is a convenient location at which they can receive the specialized pediatric and adolescent therapy they require.”
To refer a patient to Children’s Therapy at Progress Point, call Children’s Direct at 800.678.HELP (4357).
