Our Whole-Child Care Model
At Cortica, we believe that the most effective care approach begins with seeing each child as a whole person. We partner with families to understand and support the whole child, we create strong roots for their development, nourish their foundations, and allow them to branch out into the world and experience joy.
A Whole-Child Approach to Care
Many families face a fragmented and confusing care journey. At Cortica, however, families receive comprehensive care from a coordinated team, in a single place. We develop a personalized approach to medical, ABA, and developmental therapy care that reflects each child's needs and goals.
A Whole-Child Model of Care: From Strong Roots to Flourishing Branches
In her book, "Magnificent Minds," our co-founder and chief medical officer Dr. Suzanne Goh, MD, BCBA discusses the many elements of whole-child care and how they support a child’s health. We can think of these elements as parts of a tree that need nourishment in order to grow and thrive.
The Roots: A Strong Foundation at Home, at School, and in the Community
Starting from the bottom of our tree, we see that supporting a child’s healthy home life builds strong roots for their development. Improving a child’s experiences at school and in their community also creates a stable foundation for growth.
The Trunk: A Healthy Brain and Body
The trunk of the tree represents a child’s brain and body health. Supporting brain and body health starts with understanding the child’s unique genetic and metabolic profile and any co-occurring medical conditions. It also includes supporting a child’s nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction.
The Branches: Brain Networks That Support a Range of Abilities
Once we build a strong foundation for health in the trunk of the tree, the tree starts to grow healthy branches of brain networks, which support a child’s sensory, motor, cognitive, language, social, and emotional abilities.
The Leaves: Lifelong Health, Skills, Interests, and Relationships
Once we build strong brain network branches, our tree can grow higher-level skills in athletics, music, arts, and in academic and vocational studies. Our tree can also support success with self-care skills, relationships, recreation, and making a contribution to the world.
The Sun: Nourishing the Whole Child with Joy
When a child is healthy and has a strong foundation of skills and support, they are able to experience joy and continue growing, learning, and thriving in their own unique way.
Learn More About the Magnificent Minds Book!
Demystifying a wide range of diagnostics and therapies and offering new insights into the neurological, biochemical, behavioral, and social factors that play a role in successful outcomes, the book is an essential resource for understanding all of autism—a strengths-based approach that helps parents design a comprehensive treatment plan. It is also a celebration of what each autistic person brings to the world—and how parents can best nurture the remarkable uniqueness of their child while setting them up for the future they envision.
