FOCUS Therapy in Fort Myers is ALL about celebrating milestones big and small. We know just how hard these kids work – whether it’s speech therapy, occupational therapy, ABA therapy or physical therapy. We also know how hard their therapists and families work, too. When a child meets all the objectives of their plan of care – that is a huge success that deserves special recognition!

We’ve always held therapy graduations for kids, but we’ve been thinking more about their importance lately, not only because we’ve held several in the past few weeks, but also because we know so many kids in our community have missed important rites of passage like these in recent months. It was a real loss to them and their families. It drives home the point that whether you’re 8 or 18 or 80, a graduation is a very significant appreciation of one’s personal achievements and hard work. It’s also a gift to their family and others who have supported them along the way. When a child starts therapy, it’s often as much a journey for their family and therapy team as it is for them.

“Therapy is a commitment for the parents and the child,” explained FOCUS Therapy Owner and Founder Jennifer Voltz-Ronco. “They have to attend a certain amount of times per week, they need to show up, they need to give it their best. If it’s going to be effective, parents need to be on-board to ensure consistency and carryover. The kids work hard, the families work hard – and the therapists work so hard too! So when a child gets to the point that they’ve met all their goals and therapy is no longer necessary, I have always felt it is SO important to celebrate that victory.”

How Much Therapy Does My Child Need to Graduate From FOCUS Therapy?

The amount of therapy a child needs depends greatly on their diagnosis, the age at which they first begin receiving treatment, the quality of the therapy they receive, the type of therapy they’re getting and the commitment they and their parents have to the process.

“Early intervention is key, catching the developmental gap sooner than later,” Voltz-Ronco said. “We recommend therapy anytime there is a discrepancy between a child’s skills and what’s expected for their age. And then keep in mind: The whole time they are receiving therapy, they are getting older, so the bar they are reaching for just continues to get higher.”

If/when your child meets all the goals for their plan of care in a certain discipline (ABA, SLT, OT or PT), we will absolutely and enthusiastically celebrate that with you! We are proud to have held many graduation ceremonies for our FOCUS kids and families. We want them to become as independent as possible – so that they don’t need us anymore!

“Many kids grow up, and you would never even know they ever needed therapy,” Voltz-Ronco said. “It’s definitely an accomplishment that is worth celebrating. Beyond that, we hope it motivates these kids to continue setting goals for themselves, achieving them and participating in future graduation ceremonies.”

Hats off to ALL our graduates – and every parent, family member, caregiver, teacher, sibling and therapist who helped them along the way!

FOCUS Therapy offers speech, ABA, physical and occupational therapy for children in Fort Myers and throughout Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online for more information.

Additional Resources:

14 Ways to Celebrate Your Child’s Graduation During COVID-19, May 7, 2020, Connecticut Children’s

More Blog Entries:

Heavy Work: What It Is & Why Our Occupational Therapists Often Highly Recommend It, June 28, 2020, FOCUS Therapy Blog