About three years ago, five-year-old Sayler N. was feeling fine and went down for her afternoon nap. Later, she woke with a high fever and couldn’t speak. Eventually, she began talking with a stutter. This was very scary for both Sayler and her parents. They felt...
Alessandro P., age 7 and a Shea Center client for 4 ½ years, has Mowat-Wilson syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes global developmental delay. Alessandro’s physical therapist, Matt Mitchell, explains Alessandro’s therapy, “Alessandro benefits from a...
by Jennifer Lee, OTR/L Proprioception is an important sensory system that allows us to detect our body position and movement through space from input to our muscles and joints. Engaging in heavy work such as pushing, pulling, tugging, and towing against weight or...
The barn is a fantastic place for Shea Center clients to work on physical therapy exercises and activities! The horse provides clients balance challenges and engages the sensorimotor system. Physical therapists at The Shea Center also provide clients with therapeutic...
by Matt Mitchell, PT, DPT Kids need to have fun! In fact, you could call it a child’s full-time job. Active play leads to developing gross and fine motor abilities. Adults have to workout to keep our bodies in shape, whereas children need play to function fully as...
In this video, staff members Katy Purmort and Janelle Robinson explain the whys and wherefores of pairing particular horses with clients.
Orange County Register featured article on The Shea Center and our telehealth services. "How can a client simulate the movement of riding a horse at home? How can clients share a connection with their horse when they can’t touch the animal? Answering those...
by Matt Mitchell, PT, DPT Come to The Shea Center for 30 minutes and you are bound to see someone sitting on a horse backwards, sideways, or even standing on horseback! Have you ever wondered why our clients are not always sitting facing forward in a saddle during...
by Matt Mitchell, PT, DPT Therapy at The Shea Center is always goal driven. Our physical, occupational, and speech therapy professionals carefully select appropriate functional goals. We also regularly measure progress over time using a variety of methods. We take a...