NO! NO! NO!

A Whole‑Body “No” 

Our minimally verbal three‑year‑old client stood braced in the doorway between our therapy clinic and the pediatric office next door — arms wide, feet planted, her whole body saying what her words could not.

She wasn’t just hesitant. She was anxious.
The real question was: How do we honor her voice while still helping her access the medical care she needs?

Understanding Her History

As a NICU graduate, she had experienced distress during past medical visits — screaming, early exits, and incomplete exams. Compassion for her history had to guide every step forward.

At the time:

• Nearly all nutrition came from toddler formula via bottle

• She preferred drinking while lying flat on the floor

• She wasn’t interacting with utensils

• Her diet excluded fruits, vegetables, and proteins

• Her pediatric team recommended a GI consult for possible G‑tube placement

Medical care was essential — but so was her sense of safety.

A Unified, Trauma‑Informed Plan

Instead of forcing compliance, our team came together. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, ABA (including her RBT and BCBA), and her pediatric medical providers aligned around one shared first goal:

Low‑Pressure Practice Visits 

We began with low‑stakes, child‑led practice trips:

• Riding in her favorite wagon

• Bubbles floating around her

• Walking through the waiting room

• Passing the nurses’ station

• Brief visits into an exam room

• Returning to a preferred walk and her bottle

No pressure. No procedures. Just pairing the medical space with safety.

Each week, we built on success:

• Waving to the nurse practitioner

• Exploring the room

• Introducing sensory toys

• Ending every visit on her terms 

 A Breakthrough Six Weeks Later 

Something remarkable happened.

She participated in a medical visit for twelve minutes, allowing:

• Heart and lung check

• Oxygen level reading

• Temperature check

• Gentle abdominal exam

When she showed signs she’d reached her limit, we honored that communication.
We transitioned out calmly and headed outside for her usual walk and followed by a bottle.

More Than Tolerance — Building Trust

By embedding medical visits into her therapy sessions and working collaboratively across disciplines, we helped her build trust, not just tolerance.

Her pediatric medical team, SLP, OT, BCBA, RBT and caregiving unit were united in one priority:
Preserving her dignity while increasing access to the medical care she needed.

What Interprofessional Practice Really Means

Interprofessional care isn’t just providers talking to one another. It’s a unified plan that sees the whole child including their:

• Medical needs

• Communication style

• Sensory profile

• Emotional history

When we listen to a child’s “no” as meaningful communication, we build something stronger than compliance.

Our Commitment at Aurora Pediatric Therapy & Integrative Health

At Aurora Pediatric Therapy and Integrative Health, interprofessional collaboration is a core value. Our speech, occupational, physical therapy, behavioral health, and medical partners work intentionally to create coordinated, compassionate care plans tailored to each child and family.

If you are navigating feeding challenges, medical anxiety, developmental concerns, or complex care decisions, you do not have to do it alone.
We are here to partner with you — to protect your child’s dignity, strengthen their skills, and support your family every step of the way.

Call us at 331-249-6626 to schedule an appointment with us today.