Programs & Services

Children's Health and Developmental Services

Children's Health and Developmental Services offers skill-building, assessment, and treatment activities for the families of children who have or may develop emotional or behavioural problems, developmental delays, or disabilities.

The Children's Health and Developmental Services (CHADS) core team includes:

Behavioural Services:

• Kids-in-Between Group: for children 6 to 7 years whose parents are separated or divorced
• Kids-in-Control Group: anger management group for children 4 to 7 years
• Bravehearts - Building Courage through Play Group for children ages 3-5 and their parents
• Sleep Seminar: information and supports to prevent sleep deprivation and develop healthy sleeping habits in children
• Parent support groups
• Consultation services for parents
• Child behavioral assessment services
• Open referral for families with children aged 7 years and under

Home Based Development Services (HBD):

• Screening and developmental play strategies for children / families with developmental delays, disabilities, and / or premature births
• Open referral for children from birth to 3½ years

Occupational Therapy (OT):

• For children having trouble with fine motor skills, visual-motor skills, perceptual skills, self-care skills, play skills, or who are having trouble coping within their environment
• Open referral for children from birth to 18 years

Nutrition Services:

• Nutrition education and assessment in all areas of nutrition including dealing with sensitivities to food textures, picky eaters, delayed eating skills, and general healthy eating for children
• Open referral for children from birth to 18 years
• Pediatric medical adviser consults with CHADS team

Physical Therapy (PT):

• Focuses on gross motor skills including posture, balance, coordination, and the effect of muscles and joints on these skills
• Open referral for children from birth to 18 years

Speech-Language Therapy (SLP):

• Assessment and treatment of communication and feeding development issues
• Open referral for children from birth to 18 years

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) assessment team:

• Through a contract with Bridges family services, CHADS provides coordination and scheduling for OT and SLP assessments for the FASD clinic in Medicine Hat

Feeding and Swallowing Services:

• Various disciplines from CHADS are involved with feeding and swallowing referrals including SLP, OT and Nutrition Services

Developmental and Behavioural Diagnostic Clinic:

• OT, SLP, Social Work and Psychology work with SE Alberta Pediatricians and schools to gather assessment information to support children and families with complex assessment needs.  This clinic replaces the former Autism Spectrum Disorders diagnostic service