MARCH 2020, AS WE ALL KNOW, SAW AN ABRUPT CHANGE TO LIFE AS WE KNEW IT. CHILDREN STOPPED GOING TO SCHOOL, THERAPY WAS CANCELED, SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WERE NONEXISTENT AND WE STRUGGLED TO CREATE SOME SEMBLANCE OF NORMALCY AMONGST THE CHAOS.
The repercussions of this on the social emotional wellbeing and development of our children was significant. Zoom sessions proved to be extremely challenging specifically for the younger population. Heavy use of technological devices with minimal social interactions caused significant social and developmental delays for many children, and the lack of structure and learning hindered normal function and progress.
As the summer came and more venues started opening up with caution, Bridge Linx was prepared to help meet the new challenges now facing the children. Schools were opening. Many new families were moving to the Jersey shore, flooding the schools and making it more difficult to meet the individual needs of these students. And many students needed help getting back on track and bridging the gaps and deficits they now faced.
Over the summer, Bridge was in full gear offering therapy services, working closely with the community schools, and evaluating many new students to set up individual plans to ensure their success transitioning into school.
Bridge Linx offers therapy services including OT, PT, Speech and Social Behavior therapy to school aged children. Therapies are offered in our state of the art facility as well as in some community schools. We work closely with the child’s parents and school to ensure the goals are carried over and met. Many mainstream and bright students are challenged with specific deficits that need to be addressed in order to succeed and thrive. Following are some examples of areas that typical therapy may cover.
Speech and Language
Much of the learning environment is dependent on good language skills. These would include being able to follow directions and to follow and comprehend an oral lesson. In addition, proper note taking, including understanding the main idea and supporting details as well as sequencing events, are important skills. Proper social interactions involve processing the environment and expectations as well as communicating appropriately and effectively. Speech and language therapy can help children struggling in these areas.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
The way a child functions and completes his daily chores involves many OT skills. These would include dressing, manipulating toys and objects, copying from a board, handwriting, tracking with the eyes and coordination. Some other areas would be core strength and sensory processing. OT services can help a child function better in the classroom by improving these skills.
Physical Therapy
PT targets gross motor movement. These would include balance and strength, coordination, safety awareness and specific muscle strengthening and movement.
Social Behavior
Sometimes children have trouble functioning in school settings for various reasons. Some of the goals and areas worked on to help them in this area would include emotional regulation, organizational skills, following directions and routines, social expectations, and problem solving. Social Behavior therapy is provided in the school setting, and coordinated with the classroom teacher and parents to ensure that the goals are followed up and met. This Social Behavior program has enabled many students to succeed in the mainstream yeshivah environment and not have to attend self-contained or public school programs in order to meet their needs.
Bridge Linx continues to grow and meet the needs of the children in the community. We are a nonprofit therapy center and work with most insurances. We also offer private scholarships as needed so that we can ensure every child gets the help they need regardless of financial ability.
