A New Standard in Developmental Therapies: Pediatrics Plus

Raising a child requires an individualized approach to his or her care, along with consistency, kindness and expert guidance. Evidence-based best practices underscore the therapies that help children with special needs thrive but finding what’s a great fit is a challenge many parents know all too well.

As families work through a diagnosis and seek out services, therapists and teachers who recognize individual skills can make an incredible difference in the life of a child, whether those interventions are temporary or lifelong.

At Pediatrics Plus in Frisco, therapies center around a core concept that describes its owners’ vision: empowering children to conquer their world. The family-owned healthcare provider is new to the area, with its first school constructed in the state of Texas last August, but their methods are well-established. Staffers work hand-in-hand with parents, pediatricians and the children themselves to fulfill internal standards of excellence that are part of the organization’s values.

Those principles, which also include concepts like compassion and respect, aren’t just theoretical. CEO Amy Denton and COO Krista Tapp are business partners who know the patient care angle firsthand. Denton is a physical therapist and Tapp is an occupational therapist. They have owned the Arkansas and Texas-based business with its seven locations since 2002.

Both clinicians now focus on day-to-day business operations in Texas and Arkansas but what brings them to work each day remains clear.

“It’s not hard to be inspired in our industry. The children and their families inspire us daily,” said Denton. “We go to work on a mission every day to give them all the best services and care possible so they can excel in their daily lives.”

Professionals focus on children’s abilities and how to provide the therapies they need in three key areas—occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy. Services specific to children on the autism spectrum, including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), are also available.

Fostering developmental progress with continuity of care is possible in a unique way at the state-of-the-art facility because of the age range served. The full spectrum of pediatrics, from six weeks to age 21, is offered at one location. Consistency is key to the families that stay with Pediatrics Plus throughout their entire journey, which allows the child to develop the skills, independence, and milestones needed for progress.

A developmental preschool on-site is available for children under age 5, with the goal that they will join their typically developing peers for kindergarten. “The house next door” is set up with a kitchen, bathroom and community living spaces like a library, post office and other settings where children can practice fine and gross motor skills, as well as manners and appropriate social behaviors. The school’s playground is wheelchair accessible and highly supervised.

Services for children before and after school continue to be available one-on-one for former students as well as those referred by a pediatrician for less intensive therapies. Staffers can also handle routine medical needs, like diabetes management, tube feedings and medication dosing.

Peace of mind is what parents find at Pediatrics Plus that sets it apart, between the distinct range of therapies and services available and the staff’s commitment to each family.

Co-owner Krista Tapp confirmed what every parent already knows about their son or daughter: “If you spend a matter of moments with a child, you will see that each child deserves excellent and individualized attention. From my perspective, there is actually no alternative. Each and every child that walks through our door or receives services through Pediatrics Plus deserves excellence.”

Through that excellence, children can fulfill their potential and receive the services that enhance their quality of life in ways large and small.