New therapy farm helps kids grow life skills
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Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders listens as Todd and Amy Denton, owners of Pediatrics Plus, discuss the new farm facility on Monday. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios
NWA parents who have children with developmental disabilities have a new option for therapy — a small farm in Little Flock.
Why it matters: The Pediatrics Plus Farm aims to make therapy more engaging and holistic, using a simulated home and backyard farm as an active classroom setting.
State of play: The campus will offer occupational, physical and speech-language therapies, and applied behavior analysis for children with autism.
- Five full-time board-certified behavior analysts will be based there, and will be able to serve about 70 children per week.
- The facility features a small working farm with donkeys, sheep and chickens, as well as vegetable and flower gardens.
- The facility is prescription-based care and opens to receive clients Sept. 22.
Samantha Hamilton, vice president of area operations, told Axios that in addition to farm chores, children will get instructions on cooking, cleaning, dining and daily household tasks.
The big picture: Early identification and evidence-based, family-involved and comprehensive treatment models tend to drive better language, adaptive behavior and participation outcomes in children with autism, according to several studies.
Zoom out: Based in Conway, Pediatrics Plus operates 16 clinics in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
- Farm facilities are located in Bryant, Conway and Cabot, Arkansas; and Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
What they're saying: "A lot of families with students with neurodiverse tendencies really want them to be able to go play at the house next door, go to the movies, go to a birthday party," Hamilton told Axios.
- "In our Conway farm, they planned a birthday party there to practice … they made cupcakes and they practiced signing 'Happy Birthday'" and taught them how to function in that setting.
- "It's all about empowering those kids and those families," she said.
What's next: Pediatrics Plus plans to open another farm campus in the Springdale/Elm Springs area in about 15 months, Hamilton said.
- In the meantime, a temporary site will serve clients in Springdale starting in October.