The children development institute in the Kaplan Medical Center employs a trained multi-disciplinary staff:
Pediatricians, expert in child neurology and in children development, educational psychologists, communicational therapists, occupational therapists and social workers.
The institute staff deals with the diagnosis and treatment of various neural-developmental limitations in premature babies, newborns, babies and children.
We believe that locating the problems at an early stage, diagnosis and treatment allow and assist the child in achieving optimal function and integrating with society, while making the most of his abilities.
The variety of problems diagnosed by us:
- General developmental delay
- Disruptions in the gross and gentle motor development and motor clumsiness
- Linguistic developmental disruptions
- Communicational social deficit – autism
- Follow up after premature and on-term babies with risk for neural developmental disruptions
- Diseases and genetic syndromes with risk for motor flaws
- Babies with feeding difficulties
- Changes in muscle tone, cerebral palsy and neural-muscular problems.
- Epilepsy
- Metabolic diseases
- Children with sight and/or hearing deficiencies
- Motor and vocal ticks
- Developmental delays due to environmental shortage and emotional difficulties
- Emotional behavioral problems
- Difficulties in sensor regulation
- Attention disorders
The institute performs diagnostic evaluations by the staff:
- Developmental and neurological evaluation by an expert in pediatric neurology and children development
- Developmental evaluation by a physical therapy, occupational and speech therapists.
- Developmental and cognitive evaluation by the institute psychologists
- Diagnostic interview for the family (intake) by a social worker
After the multi-disciplinary diagnostic process, there are staff meetings, at the end of which the staff recommends the proper treatment and rehabilitation. The child and his family receive the guidelines and a referral for later treatment in the institute or for treatment in the community, while having a periodical follow up in the institute.
The therapies provided in the institute
- Speech therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists
- Individual psychological therapies, parent-child therapies, parental guidance, integrated therapies and a guidance of the educational and therapeutic staff of the child.
- Group therapies by a multi-disciplinary team
- Social worker therapies for the child and guidance for the parents
- Medicinal therapies for children suffering from epilepsy, muscle spasms, various neural-muscular disease, attention deficit disorders, communicational-social deficits, etc.
- A treatment and guidance group for premature babies and graduates of the premature babies’ unit. Within the treatment in the children development institute we opened a unique group for premature babies (or babies admitted to the premature babies’ unit) and their families. The group is guided by a developmental physical therapist and a developmental occupational therapist, which has specific training for premature babies. Within the group, the children and their parents receive guidance and follow up, combined with physical therapy that they are entitled to. Also, this allows for a warm and supportive group for parents and a source for questions and raising difficulties and challenges in raising premature babies. The parents receive occupational guidance and counselling in a variety of areas relevant for the development of their children and if necessary, they are referred to receive other treatments, according to their needs. The group allows for a therapeutic sequence and a link between the premature babies’ unit and the services that premature babies are entitled for in the community, and optimizes the therapeutic sequence and the sense of security that parents have when going on with their lives, after being discharged from a long stay at the hospital.
The institute staff is trusted with guiding and escorting the parents along the therapy, and connects with the various parties in the community: educational and municipal parties, social workers and pediatricians in the community.
You can contact us using a doctor’s or a therapist’s referral, from the following areas: occupational therapy, physical therapy, communication therapy, the psycho-educational service, premature babies’ follow up clinic or any other clinic or unit that sees fit to refer the child for further clarification in the institute.
It is mandatory to attach a report of the teacher to the referral (according to age groups) in addition to the parents’ report.
The referral should be sent by fax or mail.
The appointment is scheduled by our secretary and sent by mail. In urgent cases, the secretary will call the parents.
We ask you to care for filling in the details accurately and clearly: last name, first name, ID no., accurate address and available phone numbers so we can provide you the best service possible.
Upon arriving to the institute, please bring:
- Form no. 17 for the diagnosis of the child
- ID
- A referral from your doctor
- The Tipat Halav card with head circumference, weight and height measurements
- Discharge letter from the hospital / babies’ ward / premature babies’ ward
- Summaries of previous diagnoses / treatments / medical evaluations – if conducted
- Parents’ report + teacher’s report with date
- Updated image of child – passport image or close up facial image
