About Our Practice

Orange Pediatric Therapy (OPT)offers a multitude of therapeutic programs that uniquely meet you and your family’s needs.

OPT was designed specifically for children and adolescents of all ages and abilities. We feature three main therapy areas to include physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT) and speech therapy (ST). Our physical therapy gym has a full array of exercise equipment biomechanically designed to fit children as well as a 32 foot long rock climbing wall. In addition, our physical therapy space has a baby-friendly room and a private treatment room. Our occupational therapy space features two sensory gyms and two fine motor rooms. The speech department boasts a number of individual treatment rooms.

Each therapeutic program is individually designed to meet the needs of our clients. Our professional staff has many years of experience working with children.

We serve the communities of Cheshire, Meriden, Hamden, Wallingford, Prospect, Waterbury, Southington, New Haven, Woodbridge, Durham, and surrounding counties. We have facility locations in Cheshire, Meriden, and Orange Connecticut.

Please contact us if you have further questions regarding our services.

About the Owner

Craig graduated from Thomas Jefferson University with a Master’s degree in physical therapy in 1996. He opened Cheshire Fitness Zone in 2001. Craig has dedicated close to 20 years offering therapy services to children of all abilities. In addition to owning Cheshire Fitness Zone, Craig is a Part Time Faculty Member in the Department of Physical Therapy at Quinnipiac University. Craig specializes in working with children of all abilities including developmental delay, neurological impairments, torticollis, sports injuries, and seating and positioning.

Learn more about our extraordinary team!

Frequently Asked Questions

Our therapists and staff are here to serve your child’s needs and support the family. Below is a list of commonly asked questions on our office procedures and policies. Select the +/- signs to expand and contract the question of interest. If you don’t see an answer to what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to contact us.

What insurances do you accept for therapy?

Most major insurances are accepted. However, insurance participation does vary from one therapy to the next. Please see our Insurance Plans section for a complete listing of accepted insurances by therapy category.

What should I expect during my first visit?

The evaluating therapist will meet with you and your child in the beginning of the evaluation session to obtain patient information relevant to treatment. Parent concerns will also be discussed at this time. Once all relevant information is received, the therapist will begin the evaluation process. Evaluation testing may be standardized, function based or a combination of the two depending upon your child’s needs. At the end of the evaluation period, the therapist will discuss initial findings with you. Once the documentation is completed, the therapist will send a copy of the findings to your referring physician. A copy of the evaluation can also be made available to you upon request.

What do I need to bring to my child's appointment?

Generally, your doctor will write a prescription for therapy. At the time of your initial appointment, you should bring your child’s prescription as well as his/her insurance card. You will be asked to fill out some paperwork prior to your child being seen. Check out our New Client Forms section for more detailed information.

Are there medical forms I can obtain to fill out ahead of time?

For your convenience you can access our New Client Forms for easy download, printing and completion prior to your visit to save you time.

What if therapy is not covered by my insurance?

We do offer services at an out of pocket cost. Please checkout the Insurance Plans we do accept, or contact us for current out of pocket rates.

What are your hours of operation?

Our therapists generally treat clients from 8:00 am until 7:00 pm, Monday-Friday, and 8:00 am to 1:00 pm on Saturday, although this does vary by location. Morning hours do vary depending on individual therapist schedules as well as during school vacations. Read more about our hours of operation by location.

What are my location options?

Our primary facility is located in Cheshire but have a satellite location in Meriden and Orange, as well. We also offer several therapy options throughout schools in the surrounding communities for your convenience. Obtain address and/or directions to our different locations.

What Clients Are Saying

Cheshire Fitness Zone therapists offer hope, encouragement, and creativity. They deliver on persistence, personal gains, and individual growth because they genuinely care. In spite of working on the steps to tie his shoes for over six months at a different facility, at Cheshire Fitness Zone Erin never lost hope or let him quit. Although he had no idea each week she worked on skills that when put together would tie a shoe. She approached the idea of tying many times only to be met with complete resistance and totally shutting down. Then one day he came to me after his session and said, ‘Hey mom, guess what? I can tie my shoes.’ When I saw the pride in his eyes and the encouragement on Erin’s face I knew he had done it. It was one of the happiest moments of his childhood. What a gift…self-pride and independence.

Stacey Lyn

My family has been blessed with this amazing crew at Cheshire Fitness Zone for almost five years. My daughter started PT at six months of age when we discovered unexpected delays. The staff from day one has gone above and beyond to help my daughter to be where she is today. They are not only extremely knowledgeable in their individual fields, but make everyone who walks through their door feel welcome and cared for. After the past five years, I consider these individuals like family. They have taught me so many ways to help my daughter and also to strive for the best and prepare for her future. I would highly recommend Cheshire Fitness Zone to anyone who needs services for their children. We appreciate it more than you’ll ever know.

Lisa Werdann

We have been coming to Cheshire Fitness Zone for fifteen years. Our son has a motor dyspraxia which causes challenges with posture, upper body strength, and affects his fine motor skills too. After coming consistently every week for 1-2 visits he has surpassed many of his physical challenges. Now as a young man he takes physical challenges like 5k’s and bike challenges with a smile. We are grateful to the many physical therapists he has had over the years. Each of them has encouraged him and pushed him to improve in a gentle, but firm way, and always with a sense of humor. Our son looks forward to coming every week.

The Anthony’s

I am so happy we came to Cheshire Fitness Zone. My daughter injured her hip figure skating. Another physical therapist diagnosed and treated her incorrectly. Luckily when we came to Cheshire Fitness Zone and saw Craig he discovered her injury was something else and much more of a serious injury. In fact, we were referred to a Pedi orthopedist who concluded with Craig’s diagnosis. The orthopedist said it was a good find, very difficult to catch, and often missed. My daughter had surgery and is now recovering and seeing Craig for rehab. She is almost done and doing well. Highly recommended Cheshire Fitness Zone.

Elaine Reilly

A five star rating would not be enough for Cheshire Fitness Zone! From the first time I called to schedule my son’s consult to now one year later, we are consistently greeted by the most caring and loving staff. My son goes to Cheshire Fitness Zone for oral motor/speech therapy and sees Miss Kim. When I say she is the best, she truly is! From day one she has put her heart and soul into my child’s therapy. The strides my son has made in one year is amazing. Not only is Kim the nicest person ever, she is extremely knowledgeable in her field and is constantly thinking of new ways to improve my son’s speech.

Nicole Rybaruk

About Our Practice