Institute for Child Development

At St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children, the Institute for Child Development (ICD) helps children with special healthcare needs develop every capability to the fullest by promoting confidence, growth, and independence in a nurturing environment—and by educating family members on the critical roles they play in the child’s success.

Programs and Services We Offer
Within the Institute for Child Development, various levels of developmental programming are seamlessly integrated into a full array of interdisciplinary care with bilingual support. Services include:

		early intervention			preschool evaluations
		educational support for school-age children			social work
		nursing assessment and follow-up			special education preschool
		occupational therapy			speech/language pathology
		physical therapy			therapeutic activities
		medical care

Centers of Excellence
Focused on children in need and their families, all of our programs encourage parent education in order to set and reach goals. All programs include roundtrip transportation between the child’s home, or school, and our facility.

CENTER FOR EARLY EDUCATION
Treats children who qualify for special services either through Early Intervention or CPSE, from age two to five years, with developmentally appropriate rehabilitative therapies and services listed above. Simultaneously, our children enjoy stimulating educational activities and enriching experiences in a classroom and group environment. Services are supplemented with music and art therapy as well as planned recreational trips.

CENTER FOR PEDIATRIC FEEDING DISORDERS
The first interdisciplinary feeding program in New York State, the center provides inpatient, day patient, and home care services to children with debilitating eating disorders. Led by the Feeding Team, made up of physicians, psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and nutritionists, our highly effective approach has succeeded with children facing a variety of diagnoses, from weak oral-motor skills to cerebral palsy and regulatory disorders.

CENTER FOR REHABILITATION AND THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITIES
Open to children ages 5 to 18 who are Medicaid eligible and have two or more rehabilitative needs, the program provides a wide range of on-campus medical and related services, as well as rehabilitative and recreational/therapeutic activities. Programs include:

• On-site homework assistance after school and on Saturdays in conjunction with planned medical and rehabilitative care

• Two summer sessions (based on enrollment), which are attended daily or after summer school and offer therapeutic activities, such as swimming, arts and crafts, indoor/outdoor play, and field trips in addition to rehabilitative services.