Let's be honest about distance first. Our clinic is in Scarborough, about 50 km from Square One, so for routine weekly physiotherapy a clinic near your home in Mississauga will usually be more practical. Where Revivo is different is intensive therapy: focused blocks of three to four hours a day, built on the TheraSuit Method, for children and adults with neurological conditions. That is why families have made the trip from Mississauga for years — and a Mississauga mother's story is among the testimonials on our site.
“We can now for the first time witness BIG CHANGES in our son in just the last 4 months, whereas we saw only little progress in his development during all of the first 4 years of his young life.”
Why families choose an intensive block
Conventional therapy often means an hour or two a week spread over months. Intensive programs flip that around: many hours of focused, repetitive practice packed into a few weeks. For children with conditions such as cerebral palsy, that concentration can help the nervous system learn new movement patterns while they are being practised every day. 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 point to something concrete.
Research on suit therapy is still a small body of work. A 2016 systematic review found small positive effects on gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy, based on the few studies that met its criteria. We share that evidence openly, along with other studies in our research library, so you can discuss it with your child's physician.
What the program looks like
Intensive Suit Therapy at Revivo runs three to four hours a day, five days a week, for three to four consecutive weeks, between 9am and 6pm. Each day is led one-to-one by our specially trained physiotherapists:
- Warm-up (30–45 minutes): hot packs, deep-pressure massage and gentle exercise.
- Suit fitting: the TheraSuit's elastic cords are adjusted to support better alignment for that day's goals.
- Strength (up to an hour): targeted strengthening in the Universal Exercise Unit, using pulleys and weights.
- Function (up to an hour): suspension work, assisted walking, stand-ups, parallel bars, tricycle riding and play.
- Cool-down: stretching, suit removal and an update for parents with ideas to practise at home.
Planning a block from Mississauga
A three- or four-week program is a commitment, and the commute is part of the plan. The usual route is Highway 403 or the QEW to Highway 401 east, exiting at Markham Road and heading south to 525 Markham Road, Unit 4, where there is free parking. It is roughly 50 km, so allow about 45 to 75 minutes each way depending on traffic. A few things families tell us help:
- Choose session times that avoid the worst traffic — we set the daily schedule with you at the intake assessment.
- Plan the block around school and work, for example over a school break, so the daily routine is manageable.
- Consider a short-term stay closer to Scarborough for longer or four-hour-a-day programs, as some out-of-town families do.
- Keep practising at home between blocks — parents get ideas for home practice after every session, and a local physiotherapist can help keep skills going.
Neuro rehab for teens and adults
The intensive approach is not just for children. Teens and adults from Mississauga come to us after a stroke or a brain injury, or with conditions such as ataxia or spinal cord injuries, when they want a concentrated period of work on strength, balance and walking. One-to-one physiotherapy can be added before or after a block.
Before you start
Every program begins with a free consultation by phone, so you can ask questions before travelling anywhere. For intensive programs, families then complete our Health Information Form and gather recent MRIs, x-rays and reports; children with possible hip subluxation or dislocation also need a hip x-ray from the past six months. Please call before faxing any records. The one-hour intake assessment ($100) sets goals and the protocol — how many hours a day and how many weeks.
Tell us at your consultation about hip instability, seizures that are not well controlled, heart or breathing conditions, high blood pressure, a shunt, significant scoliosis or recent surgery, so we can plan safely.
Cost and insurance
Therapy is billed at $122 per therapy hour according to the approved protocol, so a three-week block at three hours a day is 45 therapy hours. Because therapy is delivered by registered and certified therapists, a significant portion can often be claimed under extended health or private insurance plans, and we provide detailed receipts. Our guide to intensive suit therapy costs in Ontario walks through worked examples, insurance tips and the Medical Expense Tax Credit.
Frequently asked questions
Is there intensive suit therapy near Mississauga?
Revivo offers Intensive Suit Therapy at our clinic at 525 Markham Road in Scarborough, about 50 km from Mississauga. Families from Mississauga have travelled to us for years for three-to-four-week intensive blocks.
How far is the drive from Mississauga?
Roughly 45 to 75 minutes each way via Highway 403 or the QEW and Highway 401, depending on traffic. We plan daily session times with you to make the commute as manageable as possible.
Should we do weekly physiotherapy with you or closer to home?
For routine weekly sessions, a physiotherapist near home is often more practical. Many families use local physiotherapy between intensive blocks at Revivo to keep new skills active.
What does an intensive block cost?
The consultation is free, the intake assessment is $100, and therapy is $122 per therapy hour. A three-week block at three hours a day is 45 therapy hours, or about $5,490 in therapy time.
Do you work with adults?
Yes. Teens and adults come to us after a stroke or brain injury and with other neurological conditions, for one-to-one physiotherapy or an intensive suit therapy block.
Sources
- Martins E. et al. — Efficacy of suit therapy on functioning in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 2016.
- Datorre E. C. S. — Intensive therapy combined with strengthening exercises using the TheraSuit in a child with CP: a case report (from our research library).
- Revivo program details: Intensive Suit Therapy and Patient Forms.
Medical note: this page is general information, not medical advice. Every child and adult is different and progress varies. Please involve your family physician or specialist when planning therapy, especially if there is hip instability, a seizure disorder, a heart or breathing condition, a shunt or recent surgery.