At KC:DT, our SLPs meet children exactly where they are in their communication journey. We provide comprehensive support for speech sound disorders and apraxia of speech, helping children develop clear and intelligible communication. We specialize in treating both receptive and expressive language disorders, ensuring children can understand and express themselves effectively across all settings. Our skilled SLPs conduct thorough AAC evaluations and provide ongoing programming and support for alternative and augmentative communication systems, empowering non-speaking and minimally speaking individuals to communicate their thoughts and ideas meaningfully. We offer targeted intervention for executive functioning skills that support organization and planning, literacy support to build foundational reading and writing abilities, and social communication skills that help children engage successfully with peers and family members. Through individualized, evidence-based approaches, we help each child reach their unique communication potential and build confidence in their interactions with the world around them. We recognize that communication is not only a cognitive process but a complicated process.  We strive to make communication easy and help every child feel understood. 

At KC:DT, our occupational therapists help children develop the skills they need to successfully engage in their primary occupations of play, learning, and self-care. Our skilled OTs address challenges related to self-regulation, sensory processing, motor coordination, and fine and visual motor skill development to support each child's ability to participate meaningfully in their daily routines. We help children explore their world through play, understanding that praxis—the ability to plan and execute purposeful movements—directly impacts a child's capacity to engage in creative play, master self-care routines, perform effectively in school settings, and navigate their daily lives with confidence. Through individualized interventions that strengthen executive functioning abilities such as organization, planning, and task initiation, we help children build the foundational skills they need to thrive across all environments. We strive to build confidence and support each child in developing the abilities necessary to fully participate in the activities that matter most to them and their families. 

At KC:DT, our pediatric and adolescent physical therapy services support children from infancy through adolescence in developing the foundational movement skills they need to confidently explore and engage with the world around them. Our skilled physical therapists address a comprehensive range of needs including general strengthening, balance and coordination challenges, torticollis and plagiocephaly in infants, and specialized early intervention services during those crucial developmental months. We provide gait training to improve walking mechanics, address toe walking, and target visual motor challenges that impact movement planning and execution. We target speed and agility as well as rehabilitation for orthopedic injuries to help active children and teens return to their favorite activities. KC:DT offers aquatic therapy, utilizing the unique properties of water to provide a supportive, gravity-reduced environment that enhances movement opportunities and makes therapy both effective and enjoyable. Through fun, child-led interventions that honor each child's interests and motivations, we create engaging therapeutic experiences that build not only physical strength and coordination but also the confidence children need to move, play, and participate fully in all their daily adventures. We strive to help every child develop the movement foundation that allows them to explore their world with joy and assurance.

At KC:DT, our feeding therapy services utilize an evidence-based, child-led approach that honors each child's unique relationship with food and eating. Our specialized feeding team, comprised of occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists, works collaboratively to support a wide range of feeding challenges including children who are learning to eat, those who are primarily tube-fed and transitioning to oral feeding, and selective or picky eaters who struggle with food variety. We provide comprehensive support for children and teens with diagnosed dysphagia, helping them develop safe swallowing skills, as well as those who are avoidant or reluctant to try new foods due to sensory, motor, or past experiences. Our team has experience in working with children and teens diagnosed with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), providing individualized interventions that address the complex medical, sensory, and psychological components of this condition. Additionally, we offer certified lactation services provided by a speech-language pathologist, supporting families during the earliest stages of feeding development. We strive to create positive, pressure-free environments where children can explore food at their own pace, building confidence to bring joy back to mealtimes.

At KC:DT, our family support services recognize that therapeutic progress flourishes when the entire family system is supported and empowered. Our licensed mental health therapists provide comprehensive care not only for children but also for parents, caregivers, and siblings as they navigate the complex challenges of parenting, trauma recovery, acceptance of diagnosis, attachment difficulties, anxiety, grief, and peer relationship issues. We utilize a range of evidence-based intervention methods including mindfulness practices, play therapy, family therapy sessions, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to address each family member's unique needs and healing journey. Central to our approach is robust parent coaching that empowers caregivers as partners, supporting them in becoming confident experts on their children and strong advocates within educational, medical, and community systems. We help families develop resilience, deepen connections, and create home environments where every member can thrive. We strive to ensure that as children grow and develop through their therapeutic journeys, their families are equipped with the tools, confidence, and emotional support they need to navigate challenges and celebrate successes together.

DIRFloortime® is an evidence-based, neurodiversity-affirming approach that emphasizes the power of relationships to promote healthy development and meaningful connections. DIRFloortime® (Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-based model) is a comprehensive framework that meets children where they are developmentally, honors their unique individual differences and harnesses the transformative power of warm, responsive relationships to foster growth. Our trained therapists focus on building and strengthening the six Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities (FEDCs) that form the foundation for all learning and development: 

• Self-regulation & Interest in the World

• Engaging & Relating

• Intentionality & Two-way Communication

• Complex Communication & Shared Problem-Solving

• Using Symbols and Creating Emotional Ideas 

• Logical Thinking & Building Bridges Ideas

We follow the child's natural interests and motivations while gently challenging them to reach higher developmental capacities. DIRFloortime® creates joyful, meaningful interactions that support not only communication and social-emotional growth but also cognitive development and self-confidence. This neurodiversity-affirming approach celebrates each child's unique strengths and differences, using the deep emotional connections formed through play and engagement to help all children reach their fullest potential while maintaining their authentic sense of self. As a DIR® accredited organization, we strive to provide the most comprehensive DIR® services in all of Kansas and Missouri.

At KC:DT, our individualized academic support services provided by our skilled special instructors address the full spectrum of literacy development and executive functioning skills necessary for school success. Our team supports children across all stages of literacy, from emergent literacy skills that build the foundation for reading and writing, to conventional literacy support that includes targeted decoding instruction, reading comprehension strategies, and comprehensive writing support. Understanding that academic success extends beyond reading and writing, our special instructors also focus on developing the executive functioning skills that are essential for school performance, including organization, planning, time management, task initiation, and self-monitoring abilities. Through individualized, evidence-based interventions that match each child's unique learning profile, we help students build confidence and competence in their academic abilities. Our special instructors also collaborate closely with schools and educational teams, providing consultation services that ensure therapeutic gains are effectively translated into classroom success. By working as partners with families and schools, we create a comprehensive support system that helps each child reach their academic potential. We strive to make every child feel confident in their ability to learn, be curious about the world, and have fun during their educational journey.