Developmental Therapy Associates

When young Elena entered the sensory gym at Developmental Therapy Associates (DTA), it was clear she required professional assistance with her speech and language skills. She had withdrawn into a corner of the room, focusing on objects of the same color and avoiding social interactions. She was not effectively speaking, communicating, or playing.

DTA’s team of certified speech therapists conducted an initial evaluation, identified her disability, and stepped in to help Elena overcome her challenges. They used DTA’s individualized, evidence-based, ethical, and one-on-one treatment plan to assist her in mastering sign language and improving her vocal abilities.

After months of consistent training and assistance, Elena has started verbally saying “hi” and “bye,” imitating animal sounds, and saying “yes” and “no.” She even tried to sing along to various songs and produces vocalizations throughout most sessions. Her reciprocal interactions have increased drastically, and she plays appropriately with minimal support. Overall, Elena has made significant progress, and her improvement suggests further potential for unlocking her abilities as therapy continues.

Success stories like this are a testament to DTA’s cutting-edge and high-quality occupational and speech therapy services that transform children and adults with special needs. It is a trusted leader in occupational and speech therapy, offering a wide range of tailored therapy services, including articulation, apraxia, language fluency, and dyslexia, empowering children and adults to become better communicators. The firm collaborates with each client, both in their natural environment and in its specialized clinics, to create a personalized program, helping them acquire the necessary speech and language skills to succeed.

“At DTA, our goal is to provide exceptional care to children and adults to enhance their ability to function, communicate, and succeed in their everyday activities,” says Joseph Torres, president and CEO of Developmental Therapy Associates.
Evidence-Backed Sensory Integration and Processing Framework

Fostering over four decades of experience serving communities, DTA is one of the longest-standing occupational and speech therapy companies in the country. What sets it apart is its adoption of A. Jean Ayres’ sensory integration and processing concept to address the behavioral components of patients.

“Efficient sensory integration and processing allows individuals to appropriately register, interpret, and attend to sensory input from the environment and within the body to achieve higher motor, cognitive, and social-emotional skills. It also includes the ability to regulate and maintain an appropriate level of alertness, called sensory modulation,” elaborates Therese Torres, executive director and speech therapist at DTA. “However, some children may have difficulty efficiently processing information from the senses, leading to poor sensory modulation. Poor sensory modulation can result in over-responsiveness or under-responsiveness to sensations, affecting learning, behavior, motor and social skills, as well as overall participation and engagement in meaningful activities.”

DTA’s fully licensed occupational therapists are trained in Dr. Ayres’ sensory integration and processing framework. They guide children through sensory-based activities that challenge their ability to respond appropriately to sensory input, improving their responses.

The therapy services are purely scientific, professional, ethical, and evidence-based, and have shown that sensory integration can have a significantly positive effect on the behavioral, social, and emotional development of individuals. DTA primarily focuses on patients with autism, developmental delays in pediatrics, and adults and elderly people suffering from trauma, Parkinson’s, or stroke, helping them overcome their difficulties.

Success Stories that Vouch

Joseph Torres is a former patient and the biggest advocate of DTA’s customized therapy sessions. Having been in a head-on collision, he required months of physical therapy and occupational therapy to gain back his cognitive abilities. This led him to realize firsthand the importance of quality therapies and the need for people to have access to them.
Torres also owns an EMR company, equipping him with a better understanding of the value of supporting the back office of practices. To that end, DTA has recently partnered with WakeMed and their specialist program, which provides access to a patient’s complete medical history.

In all the services it offers, DTA is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical behavior and long-term relationships with referrals. Following intensive evaluations on speech, occupational therapy, and any developmental delays, DTA creates a personalized treatment plan for the patient. It has a network of insurance companies to ensure clients get the best coverage for their medical needs. In addition, it strives to guarantee patients feel supported throughout their therapy services and seeks feedback to provide the best care possible.

One of the oldest occupational and speech therapy clinics in the country, DTA has three locations (Raleigh, Durham, and Cary in North Carolina), multiple gyms, and is in the process of opening a fourth clinic. It also assists in bike riding lessons for children and adults. DTA has recently launched its new website, which makes it easier for patients, caregivers, students, and healthcare providers to find the latest resources on therapy services and associated ancillary technologies. Its robust internship program, referral program, and patient care coordinator have been key to providing superior and quality customer services.

DTA plans to open its fourth facility in Winston- Salem in the triad area of North Carolina, partnering with a non-profit organization to tap into the underserved market. It is also looking to add social services and a physical therapy component to its occupational therapy services to provide patients with a holistic care experience.