Thanks to a generous gift from Town & Country Credit Union and Trinity Health Foundation, children with a broad range of developmental disabilities will receive enhanced therapeutic care with the opening of the Trinity Health Pediatric Therapy Gym, located on the main floor of Trinity Health West.

The pediatric initiative is one of several efforts stemming from a partnership that formed between Trinity Health and Town & Country Credit Union. Wade McDowell, Director of Trinity Health Therapy Services, says the pediatric sensory initiative has been a longtime goal of his.

“Play is the work of children. That is how children learn, grow and mature,” said McDowell. He added, “I think you will see that in these spaces. They are designed to engage play in a lot of different ways, whether it is energetic and active play, or quiet time and calming spaces.”

With an advanced facility that consists of a sensory gym and two calming rooms, each area is equipped with features that provide a stimulating and stress-free environment to receive physical, occupational and speech therapy services.

Inside the sensory gym, there are swings, a zip line, rock climbing walls and a slide for the children to freely play on. The combined spaces offer a safe and structured environment, where patients can play and explore which will improve their core strength, sensory processing skills and give them social interaction.

“These spaces provide our occupational therapists, physical therapists and our speech language pathologists with the tools in their environment to work most effectively,” said McDowell.

He added, “I have seen a patient run in looking happy, smiling and having fun. When a parent followed them in the door, their expression was not much different. To me, that is what this is all about.”

Trinity’s Outpatient Pediatric Therapy Clinic, located in Trinity Health West, is staffed by a team of seasoned therapists who offer physical, occupational and speech therapy tailored specifically for children. All services are individualized and utilize therapy models to help children achieve their goals.