Clear Path Pediatric Therapy: Big Feelings, Bigger Support For Local Kids

Every once in a while, I meet a local business and think, “Oh. These are my people.” Clear Path Pediatric Therapy is very much that kind of place. They speak fluent Kid, fluent Parent-Who-Is-Googling-At-2-AM, and fluent Neurodivergent-Family-Trying-Their-Best.

I am thrilled to officially welcome Clear Path Pediatric Therapy as a Macaroni KID partner. They are based on Trindle Road in Mechanicsburg and serve kids from birth through age 21 across South Central PA with speech, occupational, and physical therapy, plus family support services and seriously thoughtful play groups.

Sponsored Partner. This article is part love letter, part survival guide. Clear Path Pediatric Therapy has joined us as a sponsoring partner. All opinions, stories, and mom confessions are very much my own.

Clear Path Pediatric Therapy (Speech • OT • PT) - Mechanicsburg

4819 E Trindle Rd, Mechanicsburg • Serving families across Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties.

Click for contact info, services, and how to get started with therapy or groups.

Why This Partnership Means So Much To Me

Quick roll call. I have five kids. Four of them have needed speech therapy. Several have also needed occupational therapy, physical therapy, and enough sensory supports to basically outfit our own mini clinic in the living room.

My 8 year old is partially verbal and uses speech, AAC, and some very expressive eyebrows to communicate. Therapy has helped him go from frustrated and unheard to a kid who can tell us what he needs, crack jokes, and absolutely roast his siblings in the kindest possible way.

These services did not just help him “catch up.” They changed our whole family’s quality of life. We went from guessing games and meltdowns to connection and shared joy. Which is why it physically hurts my soul every time I hear another family say:

“We know our child needs more support. We are on three waitlists. No one is calling us back. We are so tired.”

So when a practice like Clear Path Pediatric Therapy opens its doors in Mechanicsburg with a team that gets it. That is worth shouting about.

Meet Clear Path Pediatric Therapy

Clear Path is a pediatric therapy clinic that focuses on one big idea. Every child deserves a clear pathway to a brighter future. Not a perfect future. Not a “fixed” future. A future where they are supported, understood, and given tools that actually work for their brain and body.

They provide:

• Speech Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Family Support Services with a dedicated Family Support Coordinator
• Low cost play groups, language labs, snack groups, and Sibshops

One thing I love. They meet kids where they actually are. Therapy can happen in their Mechanicsburg clinic or in your home, daycare, preschool, or school, depending on what makes the most sense. Because sometimes the bravest thing a parent can do is say, “We would love help. But we cannot add one more drive across town to our Tuesday.”

Learn more about their team and philosophy on their website: ClearPathPediatricTherapy.com.

Classes And Play Groups For All Kids (Not Just Those In Therapy)

Clear Path does something I wish more clinics would do. They create low cost, low pressure groups that welcome kids whether they are in therapy or not. It feels less like “appointment” and more like “hey, look at us, accidentally doing early intervention and social skills while our kids play.”

• Tiny Tummy Time & Tunes (0–12 months) - Gentle support for babies and their grown ups. Think movement, music, and a safe place to ask “is this normal” forty times.
• Little Movers & Music (1–3 years) - Wiggly toddlers, rhythm, and connection. Perfect for the kid who climbs everything and the parent who wants ideas besides “stop climbing that.”
• Preschool Play & Explore (3–5 years) - Confidence, play skills, and movement. Great for building readiness for preschool or kindergarten.
• School Age Open Play Group (5–10 years) - Open gym style. Burn energy, practice motor skills, try new equipment, and let siblings join in.
• Winter Language Lab (4–6 years) - Small group support for language skills that carry into school and life.
• Winter Snack Chat (4–6 years) - Conversation plus snacks. Social skills, flexible thinking, and opportunities to practice taking turns in a structured but fun setting.
• Winter Special Interests Group (7–8 years) - A place where deep interests are celebrated and used as a bridge to friendship.
• Sibshops Group (7–13 years) - A space for siblings of kids with disabilities or medical needs to feel seen, heard, and totally understood.

Most of these groups are around 5 dollars per session for the play based ones and 40 dollars for the intensive seasonal series. Which is roughly the cost of the snacks my kids can consume during one Target run. You can explore the latest offerings and dates on their site: Clear Path Pediatric Therapy - Groups and Classes.

Speech Therapy: Finding Their Voice (In Every Sense)

The Speech Language Pathologists at Clear Path Pediatric Therapy are all about communication in the real world. Not just on a worksheet. They use a coaching model and work with families so that progress does not stop when the 45 minute session ends.

Areas they support include:

• Expressive and receptive language - Helping kids understand language and use words, phrases, or whatever method works best for their brain. From early joint attention and gestures to complex sentences.
• Feeding and swallowing - From picky eating and utensil use to more complex swallowing concerns. Think less battle at the dinner table and more peaceful family meals.
• Fluency (stuttering) - Assessment and support that looks at speech, emotions, and the impact stuttering has on daily life. With a focus on reducing shame and building confidence.
• Social communication - Joint attention, turn taking, imitation in play, peer interaction, and nonverbal communication. Especially helpful for autistic and otherwise neurodivergent kids.
• Articulation and phonological disorders - Supporting clear speech now and stronger literacy skills later.
• Childhood Apraxia of Speech - Highly specialized support for kids whose brain and mouth have trouble coordinating speech movements. This is complex work and I am always grateful to see providers who know this area well.

If you have ever walked out of an evaluation thinking, “I heard a lot of big words. I am still not sure what any of it means for Tuesday morning breakfast,” this is where a practice like Clear Path shines. They translate everything into doable steps at home.

Physical Therapy: Rolling, Crawling, Climbing, Thriving

The Physical Therapists focus on gross motor development and helping kids gain strength, balance, and confidence in their bodies. Whether your baby is not rolling yet, your preschooler is still figuring out stairs, or your older child needs support with endurance and coordination, they are there to help.

PT treatment can address:

• Rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, climbing
• Strength, range of motion, and endurance
• Posture and balance
• Coordination for play, sports, and daily life

Translation for parents. The goal is not to turn every kid into an athlete. The goal is for kids to move through their world more safely and confidently. To climb the playground ladder, keep up with siblings, or simply feel less wobbly in their own bodies.

Occupational Therapy: Sensory Systems, Daily Life, And The Stuff No One Warned Us About

Occupational Therapy at Clear Path covers the beautiful chaos of daily life. Eating. Dressing. Playing. Participating at school. Handling ALL the sensory input of being a kid in 2025.

• Sensory processing - Supporting kids who are over responsive, under responsive, sensory seeking, or some combination of all three depending on the day and the weather and whether their socks have seams.
• Feeding skills - Building positive experiences with new foods, textures, and smells. Helping kids develop the strength and coordination to use utensils and bring food to their mouths in a safe, controlled way.
• Activities of daily living - Dressing, brushing teeth, managing zippers, using school tools, and more.

OT is also where families often find language for what they are seeing at home. The “why are socks a personal attack” question. The “this child will only eat three beige foods” phase. The “playground is either the best day ever or instant shutdown” mystery. I love that Clear Path Pediatric Therapy leans into education and coaching so parents leave feeling informed, not judged.

Family Support Services: A GPS For Overwhelmed Parents

This might be my favorite part. Clear Path has a Family Support Coordinator whose entire job is to help families navigate systems, meetings, and next steps. If you have ever stared at a stack of paperwork and thought, “I speak fluent snack time and meltdown prevention. I do not speak this,” this service is for you.

Support can include:

• Transition help from Early Intervention to Intermediate Unit, and from IU to school age services
• Service coordination and warm hand offs to OT, PT, SLP, psychology, and community programs
• Neurodiversity affirming education and strategies
• Caregiver coaching with visuals, routines, and regulation tools
• Help preparing for IEP and 504 meetings
• Systems navigation for insurance, Medicaid basics, respite options, and more

The goal is not just “here is a giant list of resources.” The goal is “here is a realistic plan and I will walk with you while you take the next steps.”

How To Get Started With Clear Path Pediatric Therapy

If your parent gut has been whispering (or yelling) that your child needs more support, here are some easy first steps.

1. Visit ClearPathPediatricTherapy.com to read about services and fill out the contact form.
2. Call the clinic at (717) 602-2848 if you prefer an old fashioned phone call and a real human voice.
3. Ask about evaluations, scheduling, and groups that might be a good fit while you are on the waitlist or starting services.
4. If you feel overwhelmed by the “where do we even begin” part, ask about connecting with their Family Support Coordinator.

You can also save their Macaroni KID directory listing so their info is always one click away when you need it most.

Upcoming Events At Clear Path Pediatric Therapy

Curious about Tiny Tummy Time, Sibshops, or that Special Interests Group your kid would absolutely dominate. Check the live schedule here. We update this feed as new sessions are added.

To the families who are in the thick of evaluations, acronyms, and big feelings. You are not alone. I am so grateful to have partners like Clear Path Pediatric Therapy walking this road with us in Central PA.