At Revivo in Scarborough, the consultation is free, the intake assessment is $100, and Intensive Suit Therapy is billed at $122 per therapy hour. A standard three-week block at three hours a day is 45 therapy hours — about $5,490 plus the assessment. Longer or more intensive blocks cost more, and a significant portion can often be claimed through extended health benefits.
Intensive suit therapy is one of the biggest investments many families make in their child's therapy, so it deserves a clear, honest breakdown. This guide explains how suit therapy is priced at our clinic, what you actually get for each hour, what a typical three- or four-week program adds up to, and the insurance and tax options that can bring the out-of-pocket cost down. All prices are Revivo's own, current as of the date at the top of this article.
How suit therapy is priced at Revivo
There are three steps, and you only commit to the first paid one once you are sure suit therapy is the right fit:
- Free consultation. A conversation by phone or in person about your child's history, goals and timing. There is no cost and no obligation.
- Intake assessment — $100. About an hour with our therapists. They assess strength, range of motion, posture and functional skills, review the Health Information Form and records, and set goals together with you.
- Intensive Suit Therapy — $122 per therapy hour. Billed by the hour according to the protocol approved after the assessment: how many hours a day and how many weeks.
Because billing follows the approved protocol, you know the total before the block begins. Nothing is added part-way through without a conversation first.
What each day of a program includes
The standard protocol is three to four hours of therapy a day, five days a week, for three to four consecutive weeks, scheduled between 9am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. Those hours are hands-on, one-to-one work with specially trained physiotherapists, typically structured like this:
- Warm-up (30–45 minutes): hot packs, deep-pressure massage and moderate warm-up exercises, so muscles are ready for focused work.
- Suit fitting (10–15 minutes): the therapist puts on the TheraSuit and adjusts each elastic cord to correct alignment for that day's goals.
- Strength work (up to an hour): isolated strengthening in the Universal Exercise Unit — pulleys, immobilizers and weight loads targeting the muscle groups behind sitting, standing and walking.
- Functional work (up to an hour): suspension work, assisted walking, stand-ups, parallel bars, tricycle riding and play-based tasks that turn new strength into everyday skills.
- Cool-down (10–15 minutes): gentle stretching, suit removal and a quick update for parents with ideas for practising at home.
In other words, the hourly rate covers the therapist's time, the suit and the specialized equipment, and the planning that goes into each session. You can see what these days look like in the session videos on our Intensive Suit Therapy page.
Worked examples: what a 3–4 week block costs
These examples use Revivo's published rate of $122 per therapy hour. Your actual protocol is set after the intake assessment, so treat them as planning figures rather than a quote.
| Program | Therapy hours | Therapy cost | With $100 intake |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 hours a day · 3 weeks | 45 | $5,490 | $5,590 |
| 3 hours a day · 4 weeks | 60 | $7,320 | $7,420 |
| 4 hours a day · 3 weeks | 60 | $7,320 | $7,420 |
| 4 hours a day · 4 weeks | 80 | $9,760 | $9,860 |
Most first blocks fall somewhere in this range. Younger children or those who tire quickly usually start at three hours a day; older children and adults with more stamina may do four. Some families return for further blocks later in the year, and the assessment helps decide how often that makes sense.
Insurance and extended health benefits
Suit therapy at Revivo is delivered by registered and certified therapists, so a significant portion of the cost can often be claimed under extended health care plans or private medical insurance. A few practical tips:
- Check your annual maximum. Many plans cap physiotherapy coverage per person per year. Knowing the cap tells you how much of a block your plan may reimburse.
- Ask about referrals. Some insurers require a physician's referral before they reimburse. It is easier to get one before the block starts.
- Use both parents' plans. If both parents have coverage, coordinating the two plans may increase what is reimbursed.
- Keep every receipt. We provide detailed receipts for each part of the program.
The Medical Expense Tax Credit
The part of your costs that insurance does not reimburse may be claimable as a medical expense on your tax return. The Canada Revenue Agency explains which expenses qualify — including rehabilitative therapy and services from medical practitioners — on its page about eligible medical expenses (lines 33099 and 33199). You can only claim the portion you were not reimbursed for, and an accountant can help you work out what applies to your family.
Other costs to plan for
The therapy itself is the main cost, but families find it helps to budget for the practical side too:
- Travel and parking. There is free parking at our clinic, but daily driving for three or four weeks adds up. Families come from across the GTA and beyond — from Mississauga, Oshawa and Kitchener, and some from overseas.
- Accommodation. Out-of-town families usually arrange a short-term stay near Scarborough for the length of the block.
- Time off work. Someone needs to bring your child every day, and parents are encouraged to stay involved so progress continues at home.
Is suit therapy worth the cost?
That is a personal decision, and we would rather you make it with honest information. Research on suit therapy is still a small body of work. A 2016 systematic review and meta-analysis in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology found small positive effects on gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy, based on only four studies that met its criteria (Martins et al., 2016). More, larger studies are needed. You can read more of the research behind our programs in our research library.
What we see in the clinic is that intensity and repetition matter. Because the work is so concentrated, many parents notice changes within the first one to two weeks — often in head and trunk control, posture, tone or confidence — and by the end of the third week most can describe concrete progress. Goals are set with you at the assessment, so you can judge the result against what mattered to your family.
Frequently asked questions
How much does intensive suit therapy cost in Ontario?
At Revivo in Scarborough, therapy is $122 per hour after a $100 intake assessment, and the consultation is free. A three-week block at three hours a day is 45 hours, or about $5,490 in therapy time; a four-week block at four hours a day is 80 hours, or about $9,760.
Is suit therapy covered by OHIP?
Private intensive suit therapy is not typically covered by OHIP. Because it is delivered by registered and certified therapists, a significant portion is often claimable through extended health or private insurance plans.
Do I pay for the whole program up front?
Your total is based on the protocol approved after the assessment. Ask our team about payment timing at your consultation so you can plan around your insurance claims.
Can I start with a shorter block?
The standard protocol is three to four hours a day for three to four weeks, because intensity is what makes the method work. The intake assessment is the right time to discuss what is realistic for your child.
Ready to plan a block, or still weighing it up? Book a free consultation or call 416-628-4232 and we will walk you through costs for your situation.
Medical note: this article is general information, not medical advice. Every person is different and progress varies — please talk to your physician or specialist about your situation.