Shriners Children's Portland Therapy Services
Where Little Achievements Lead to Big Milestones
Empowering Kids Through Specialized Therapy Services
We believe in the incredible potential of each child. Through specialized therapy services, we strive to empower kids to overcome physical challenges, build confidence and reach new milestones. We provide compassionate, evidence-based care to help every child reach their full potential.
Community Referral
Shriners Children’s therapy services now accepts physical, occupational and speech therapy referrals from community physicians and advanced practice professionals. Patients are not required to see a Shriners Children’s physician first. To reach the therapy services department directly, please call 503-221-3429, option 1.
Physical Therapy
Our physical therapists (PT) specialize in treating a variety of acute and chronic conditions impacting children and young adults. They serve children with developmental delays, scoliosis, sports injuries, and conditions of the arms, back, neck, legs and feet. The therapists create treatment plans to support gross motor skill acquisition, flexibility, strength, return to sports, prosthetic training and post-operative recovery.
Our team will create a custom treatment plan for your child, using a multidisciplinary approach.
Diagnoses treated include, but are not limited to arthrogryposis, cerebral palsy, limb deficiency, torticollis, neuromuscular disorders, osteogenesis imperfecta, developmental delay (gross motor and fine motor) and many more.
The Shriners Children's Portland physical therapy team has three PTs certified in the Schroth-based method of scoliosis specific exercise (SSE), a non-traditional 3-D treatment approach for scoliosis. Our SSE program focuses on educating patients about body awareness while using physical therapy exercise and stretching, with a goal of creating stability around their corrected posture. The program empowers patients by providing them with an active role in their treatment.
The Shriners Children's Portland physical therapy team also specializes in assessment of children with needs for custom manual and powered mobility solutions. Our team collaborates with our community vendors to find the optimal wheelchair for your child’s current and future needs.
In collaboration with our physician partners and Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services, our therapists perform serial casting services for patients with idiopathic toe walking.
Occupational Therapy
Our occupational therapists work closely with patients and families to evaluate and create individualized treatment plans to help patients acquire fine motor skills, and to improve independence with activities of daily living, including dressing and bathing. They provide education in self-care and recommend equipment aides as needed for patient independence. The team of occupational therapists work in collaboration with the surgeons, prosthetists and other medical professionals to ensure successful improvements in function and established patient goals.
The Shriners Children's Portland occupational therapy team provides highly specialized care in assessing children with needs for custom manual and powered mobility, and for environmental access solutions. Our team collaborates with our community vendors to find the optimal device for your child’s current and future needs. This team also specializes in hand therapy, with two hand therapists who support our board-certified hand surgeon Krister Freese, M.D.
The team also has expertise in assistive technology, including adaptive gaming.
Speech and Language Pathology/Speech Therapy
The speech and language pathologists at Shriners Children’s Portland help children improve communication skills. Our speech therapists target all aspects of childhood and adolescent communication, including sound production, understanding language (reception), use of language (expression), memory and cognition.
The Shriners Children's Portland speech and language pathology team also sub-specializes in the treatment of children who may be non-speaking and need to use alternative and augmentative communication devices to allow them the opportunity to interact with the world.
The speech and language pathology team also supports our cleft lip and palate clinic, providing assessment of the effectiveness of our surgical care and assisting in normalizing the child’s communication after surgery.
Recreational Therapy/Therapeutic Recreation Service
Our therapeutic recreational specialist provides a treatment service designed to restore, remediate and rehabilitate a person’s level of functioning and independence in life activities. Recreational therapy promotes health and wellness, and seeks to reduce or eliminate the activity limitations and restrictions to participation in life situations caused by an illness or a disabling condition. Our team works with children and their families to assist them in finding solutions to aid in accessing the world for recreational and sporting activities.
Offsite programs offered include but are not limited to: snowshoeing, rock climbing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, swimming, skiing and snowboarding, music, art, gymnastics, golf, archery, fishing and cycling.
Care providers, please fax your patient’s details to our therapy services department at 503-294-3240.
New patients, please contact us by email, newpatient@shrinenet.org, or call therapy services directly at 503-221-3429, option 1.
Physical therapy has been most helpful in my child's rehabilitation after surgery. Her therapist went above and beyond. She genuinely cares about her patient.
