Pediatric Medical Services Dubai | Autism | ADHD | Sensory Integration

kidsFIRST Medical Center was created in 2006 with a vision to provide evidence-based medical services to children throughout the UAE. As the country’s first children’s medical center, our multi-disciplinary team serves children having both normal and special needs.

Qualified to work with any child, each of our professionals has been additionally trained according to their particular passion. Handwriting, feeding, adoption, alternative communication, sensory integration, and play therapy are merely a few examples.

The kidsFIRST team serves children across the full range of needs, such as Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADD, ADHD, Auditory Processing Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Dysphagia, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, and Early Language Delays.

While the children are always the focus, our heart is to partner with all of the key caregivers in a child’s life. In our experience, this brings about the best long-term outcomes.

kidsFIRST is committed to making the UAE a friendly place for all children. We look forward to warmly welcoming you and your child.

Nannette Wicker-Essick
Executive Director
Occupational Therapist

Literacy Support
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Literacy Support

We are committed to assisting your child and will ensure that they continue to receive academic support for continued success. Literacy support is available for all levels.
$Mathematics Support$

Mathematics Support
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Mathematics Support

We are committed to assisting your child and will ensure that they continue to receive academic support for continued success. Mathematics support is available for elementary/primary level.
Learning Difficulties
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Learning Difficulties

Is your child struggling with reading, writing, mathematics, sitting still, paying attention, following instructions, or playing sports? kidsFIRST may be able to help. What may appear as academic may be treatable by identifying underlying causes through comprehensive assessments conducted by our trained psychologists. kidsFIRST’s evidence-based programs can effectively address these causes without medication, helping your child achieve their goals and preparing a brighter path for their future.
Sensory Integration
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Sensory Integration

Sights. Smells. Sounds. Tastes. Textures. The world is an amazing place filled with possibilities for children. As they interact with the world around them through play and relationships, children develop their understanding of life. When these interactions are not processed correctly, the world doesn’t make as much sense to the young explorer and can negatively impact normal academic, social, physical, and emotional development.

Sensory integration brings all of the puzzle pieces together for many children who struggle at school or nursery. If they have trouble focusing, can’t sit still, experience motion sickness, have difficulty following instructions, or struggle with balance, sensory integration by a qualified occupational therapist may help. kidsFIRST offers observe, assessment, and therapy for children requiring sensory integration.
Applied Behavior Analysis
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Applied Behavior Analysis

kidsFIRST introduces a team of internationally certified and fully supervised Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapists. ABA is a therapy based on the science of learning and behavior. It helps increase language and communication skills; improve attention, focus on social skills, memory and academics; and decrease problem behavior.
Social, Behavioral & Emotional Skills
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Social, Behavioral & Emotional Skills

Presenting difficulties to be included:
- Anxiety Management (post-traumatic stress, generalised anxiety, phobias)
- Anger Management
- Behavioural Difficulties
Children can present with a range of emotional and behavioral disturbances throughout childhood (such as anxiety, low mood, anger, and socialization difficulties). kidsFIRST offers a variety of individual and group programs to support children's emotional well-being and development of resilience. Children's difficulties are assessed by highly trained professionals and interventions are tailored to suit your child's individual needs.
Eating & Swallowing (Dysphagia)
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Eating & Swallowing (Dysphagia)

If your child withdraws from eating or struggles to drink or swallow, they may suffer from dysphagia. Dysphagia may result from nerve or muscle development, surgery, sensory processing difficulty, cleft lip or palate, tracheotomy, gastro-esophageal reflux, prematurity, or malformations of the oral and pharyngeal structures. kidsFIRST trained dysphagia therapist is able to provide assessments, mealtime observations, therapy sessions, parent consultation, and videofloroscopy review to help your child receive proper nutrition and make mealtimes more enjoyable.
Speech & Language Development
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Speech & Language Development

A child struggling with speech has difficulties with the “how to” of talking- coordinating the necessary muscles and movements. If the child has trouble with language, they have difficulties understanding what they hear or see. The child may struggle finding the right words and/or meaningfully organizing these words.

kidsFIRST therapists help children who struggle with speech and language, including speech challenges such as stuttering, phonology, apraxia, articulation, and voice. We also work with children who have language difficulties such as understanding language (receptive), using language (expressive), and using effective and appropriate language (pragmatic). We are also able to help those with hearing loss and oral-motor disorders such as weak tongue and/or lip muscles.
Stuttering
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Stuttering

LIDCOMBE Program: a behavioral treatment for young children who stutter. The program takes its name from the suburb of Sydney where the Australian Stuttering Research Centre is located. The treatment is administered by a parent or carer in the child's everyday environment. Parents learn how to do the treatment during weekly visits to the speech and language therapist (SLT). Structured program of intervention for stuttering/fluency, based around parent/child interaction.
Handwriting & Fine Motor Skills
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Handwriting & Fine Motor Skills

Developed by kidsFIRST Occupational and Physio Therapists, writeSTART uses the latest techniques to develop handwriting in children who are struggling. In the 1.5 hour sessions, kidsFIRST therapists focus on development of fine and gross motor skills, as well as sensory integration. Books from Handwriting Without Tears® are implemented for the best foundation skills. Courses run weekly on Sundays from 4:45-6:15, and include home practice activities.

click here for our updated calendar of classes and workshops.
Coordination & Gross Motor Skills
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Coordination & Gross Motor Skills

Movement, balance, posture and coordination are critical requirements for routine activity, play and learning, including reading, writing and physical education. Without developed coordination and gross motor skills, children struggle with activities such as catching and bouncing a ball, learning to swim, dance, or ride a bicycle, and handwriting for more than short periods. They may tire easily, fall excessively, and bump into others frequently. kidsFIRST physical and occupational therapists are trained to identify causes and develop solutions to improve and develop these essential skills.
Early Intervention
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Early Intervention

A child's earliest years are filled with new stimulation and novel experiences that drive his or her cognitive, social, and physical growth. The first 3 years of life are a critical time for brain development, especially if a child is delayed or restricted in development. If a child needs support to develop optimally, early intervention can help.

Early intervention is a collection of therapy and support services that provide children from birth to 3 years old who have disabilities, or who are at risk for developing them, the help they need to succeed later in life. Occupational therapy is one of several services that may be provided as part of early intervention. It benefits children with many specific conditions to improve their motor, cognitive, sensory processing, communication, and play skills. The goal is to enhance development, minimize the potential for developmental delay, and help families to meet the special needs of their infants and toddlers. Occupational therapy practitioners support and encourage parents' relationship with their child.

Academic studies have demonstrated that early intervention for children with a range of different disabilities results in significant benefit to the child. The earlier the intervention, the better the outcome.
EMDR
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EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy for children and adolescents who are struggling to recover from distressing events and the problems they have caused, like flashbacks, upsetting thoughts or images, depression or anxiety. Sometimes memories get stuck and EMDR is used to enable the brain to reprocess the memory so that it no longer causes distress. EMDR is a widely recognized treatment for many conditions, especially post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
CBT
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CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of 'talking therapy' that can help children and adolescents manage their feelings by changing the way they think and what they do. In CBT, the psychologist will educate your child or adolescent about how their thoughts, feelings and behaviors are interlinked. Together, they work out the best way to make changes and overcome difficulties. CBT is a highly recommended treatment for many conditions including anxiety and depression.
Expressive Arts Therapy
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Expressive Arts Therapy

Provided with art supplies and welcomed to create during the sessions, expressive arts therapy is an alternative to traditional talk therapy. Art, movement, drama and play in a supportive space can function as therapeutic catalysts for personal/interpersonal development, self-exploration, growth and healing.

The emphasis of expressive arts therapy is on the process of engaging with the arts and reflecting on the experience of creating rather than the end product. When working with young clients, art and play can also act as a lubricant in building rapport, helping them feel safe and expressing themselves in a way that words cannot.
Cleft Palate and/or Lip
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Cleft Palate and/or Lip

Speech and language therapy is essential for children with cleft palate and/or lip, addressing their specific communication difficulties. These therapy sessions are tailored to each child's needs, focusing on improving speech clarity, language development, and managing swallowing challenges. Speech therapists collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive care, assisting children in overcoming articulation, resonance, and language delays. Additionally, they offer families guidance and support to facilitate their child's progress outside therapy. Through this personalized approach, children with cleft palate and/or Lip can improve their communication skills and enhance their overall quality of life.
Voice Therapy
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Voice Therapy

Pediatric voice therapy serves as a vital resource for addressing a spectrum of voice disorders in children beyond those previously mentioned. This therapy can be particularly effective for children experiencing conditions such as vocal fold nodules, vocal cord cysts, muscle tension dysphonia, vocal fold polyps, vocal cord paralysis/paresis, etc. By tailoring interventions and exercises to suit each child's specific needs, pediatric voice therapy plays a crucial role in restoring vocal function, enhancing communication skills, and ultimately improving the quality of life for children affected by these and other voice disorders.
Voice Therapy for Professional Voice Users
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Voice Therapy for Professional Voice Users

Voice therapy for pediatric professional voice users is a specialized intervention crafted to address voice disorders and optimize vocal performance in children who rely on their voices for professional endeavors. This unique demographic may include child actors, singers, performers, and students participating in activities such as choir or public speaking engagements. Tailored exercises, techniques, and strategies are employed by voice therapists to address issues like vocal fatigue, strain, hoarseness, and limited vocal range in young performers. Moreover, therapy focuses on optimizing vocal projection, resonance, and endurance while addressing any underlying vocal health concerns specific to children. By providing targeted interventions and guidance, voice therapy ensures that pediatric professional voice users can communicate effectively, expressively, and confidently, thereby nurturing their talents and potential success in their chosen vocations from an early age.
Post Adoption Support
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Post Adoption Support

Dr. Amy Bailey offers attachment-based therapies to help children rebuild relationships and recover from past trauma. She is specifically trained in Dyadic Developmental Therapy (a specific intervention for adoption and fostered children designed by Daniel Hughes).
Interactive Metronome & The Listening Program
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Interactive Metronome & The Listening Program

Interactive Metronome (IM) is an assessment and treatment tool used in therapy to improve the neurological processes of motor planning, sequencing and processing. The IM program provides a structured, goal-oriented process that challenges the patient to synchronize a range of hand and foot exercises to a precise computer-generated reference tone heard through headphones. IM is recommended for children with Sensory Integration Disorder, ADD/ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and Non-verbal Learning Disorder.

The Listening Program (TLP)’s clinically-proven approach gently trains the auditory system to accurately process sound, addressing problems with the following:
- Attention and concentration
- Memory
- Sensory integration
- Vocal performance & musical ability
- Physical balance and coordination
- Listening
- Social skills
- Self-regulation
- Speech and language
- Reading
kidsFIRST is a registered TLP Provider. With the guidance of one of our therapists, The Listening Program® is an easy-to-use, cost effective, portable method that can bring about lasting change.
Educational Assessment
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Educational Assessment

An educational assessment can help identify your child/teen's learning or developmental strengths, as well as difficulties that they may be facing.

At kidsFIRST, we provide comprehensive assessments for children and teenagers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The process involves a parental consultation, tests and/or observations, which can help professionals better understand your child’s strengths and areas for growth. After the assessment, you will receive a report that can be shared with the schools (with your permission) and/or other professionals, allowing them to develop a plan to support your child.

A proper diagnosis can lead to more effective interventions and support.
Home Program (OT, PT, SLT)
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Home Program (OT, PT, SLT)

A range of individualized activities for you to work on with your child, designed by a licensed therapist to address your child's therapy goals.

Home Programs Include:
- Home Program Development
- 30-minute Parent Training Meeting
- *Optional ongoing therapist consultation
teleASSESSMENT
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teleASSESSMENT

Our online teleASSESSMENT package has been tailored to help you navigate the challenges your child may be facing in engaging with distance learning.

teleASSESSMENT package includes:
- Online administration of IQ and academic attainment assessments including Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V) and Core Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) in line with professional standards and guidelines for remote administration
- A comprehensive report with accommodations and recommendations
- An online 30 minutes feedback session with parent
teleTHERAPY
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teleTHERAPY

Our therapists have now completed the most up to date training in teleTHERAPY. We are committed to supporting your child and will ensure they continue to receive the academic, emotional, and skill building he/she needs for continued success. Our teleTHERAPY is also available at 30, 45 and 60-minute sessions.