Rehab Services for Kids
Occupational Therapist Alyssa Lucas, MS, OTR/L, celebrates with a patient after success on Aspirus St. Luke’s in-house pediatric climbing wall.
How physical, occupational and speech therapists work together to help kids at Aspirus St. Luke’s in Duluth
“Seeing your child struggle can be really stressful,” said St. Luke’s Occupational Therapist (OT) and Certified Lactation Counselor Alyssa Lucas, MS, OTR/L. “That’s where our team comes alongside families to help.”
Alyssa is part of Aspirus St. Luke’s Pediatric Rehab team. This group of occupational, physical and speech therapists works with children, from newborns to 18-year-olds, to overcome their struggles and live more confidently.
“We are a close team and work really well together,” said Alyssa. “We put a family’s needs first and figure out the best ways to get their child all the services they can benefit from.
In addition to seeing families in the clinic, they often assist with coordinating outside resources. This can include things like getting equipment at home or working with teachers and schools.
As an OT, Alyssa helps with emotional regulation and sensory processing, as well as fine and gross motor skills. As a Certified Lactation Counselor, she works with fellow Certified Lactation Counselor and Aspirus St. Luke’s Speech Therapist Haley Day, MA, CCC-SLP. Together they help caregivers and babies with breastfeeding, bottle feeding and transitions to solids.
Aspirus St. Luke's Jenna Fossell, DPT, works to promote a child’s functional mobility. This can range from assisting with infant repositioning for head symmetry to a toddler taking their first steps to helping a teenager after a sports injury.
She also serves pediatric patients who have higher complexity conditions. “The best part of my job, by far, is seeing the kids’ reaction when they accomplish something for the first time, and then seeing the caregivers’ reaction,” she said.
No matter the age or the challenge, Aspirus St. Luke’s Pediatric Rehab team helps kids participate by keeping it fun. “We do a lot of play-based activities,” said Alyssa. “Not a lot of people say they have rock climbing walls and swings in their offices, but we do!”
Jenna loves that play is part of her job. She also finds a lot of fulfillment in helping kids be their best. “Being a pediatric physical therapist is an extremely rewarding career,” she said. “I get to laugh, be silly and play games daily while helping little ones conquer the world.”
A referral is required for this service. If you are wondering if Aspirus St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Services can help your child, call 218.249.6040 or visit slhduluth.com/PedsRehab.