Parent guides
Finding the best rehabilitation for your child: why families choose Apexa QLA Suisse
If you're the parent of a child with special needs, you're not looking for "good enough" care or one more standard therapy. Here's what families from around the world find on the shores of Lake Zug — and why so many of them stay.
You're not simply searching for another therapy slot. You're searching for a place that doesn't just understand your family's daily challenges but carries them with you — a team that looks past the medical diagnoses to find the unstoppable little superhero in your child, and works with passion and precision to turn hidden potential into real, visible progress. If that's what you've been looking for, your search may well end at our centre on Lake Zug, the Rive du Lac — home of ORCA — Objective Reasoning & Clinical Architecture, the framework behind everything we do. Here's why.
Not a factory: exclusive, tailored care
Many large centres run like factories — high throughput, rigid schedules and one-size-fits-all protocols. We believe rehabilitation needs focus. That's why we deliberately limit our centre to a maximum of four families per day.
- No standard scheme. There are no pre-made protocols here. Every child is unique, and so is their therapy plan.
- Fresh, focused therapists. Each of our therapists works with no more than three to four children a day — so your child gets 100% of our energy, creativity and attention.
- Interdisciplinary planning. We don't just work side by side; we work together. The team meets regularly to discuss your child's case, so everyone is pulling in the same direction.
The brain behind the progress: ORCA
What truly sets us apart is ORCA — our system of advanced clinical reasoning. It's the foundation of everything we do, developed by our founder Fabienne Theler (MSc PT).
"We don't guess, we plan. And when we plan, we track the results closely."
— Fabienne Theler MSc PT, founder- The blueprint. We work like clinical detectives, analysing the why behind your child's movements. Is it neurological? Structural? Sensory? From that we build a therapy architecture tailored to your child alone.
- Constant adjustment. We monitor progress daily. If a strategy isn't delivering the results we want, we adapt it immediately — so you get the most out of your time with us, and your time at home.
- Brain and body together. ORCA closes the gap between the brain (the software) and the body (the hardware). By combining sensory integration with active physiotherapy, we "unlock" the nervous system so a child can feel their body in order to move it. You can read more on our ORCA Method pages.
World-class tools and specialists under one roof
We bring the world's most advanced therapy tools together in one place, backed by a paediatric team on site for every medical and orthopaedic need.
Our preferred suit protocol: PediaSuit
We are proud providers of PediaSuit, our preferred protocol for modern suit therapy and a core element of the ORCA framework. It works like a "second skin" — a dynamic proprioceptive orthosis that aligns the body, corrects posture and gives the brain the sensory feedback it needs to learn new movement in the safety of our Spidercage.
DMI (Dynamic Movement Intervention)
We are leaders in this field: Fabienne Theler and her team are certified up to DMI Intermediate A, placing us among the top specialists worldwide in provoking active motor responses. Learn more about DMI at our centre.
An orthotics team on site
Forget the stress of driving between providers. Our paediatric orthotics partners are right here for braces, splints and every orthopaedic need. Whether your child needs Apexi serial or Dynaflex casting to improve range of motion, our specialists work hand in hand with the therapists so every device serves the therapy goals.
You are the co-therapist
We know the magic doesn't only happen in the therapy room — most of it happens at home. That's why we don't just treat your child; we coach you. You'll leave with the skills and confidence to be your child's co-therapist. And if you can't come to Zug straight away, our teletherapy visits support you anywhere in the world — including between blocks, so you never feel alone on this road.
Who we support
We don't treat diagnoses; we treat the whole child. From infants to young adults, we support superheroes of every age with:
Scenarios we support
- Neurology & genetics: cerebral palsy (CP), spina bifida, stroke, traumatic brain injury and genetic syndromes such as PURA or Angelman.
- Motor & musculoskeletal: orthopaedic injuries, hypertonia and hypotonia, plagiocephaly.
- Sensory & development: well-regulated autism, sensory processing differences and developmental delay.
The questions parents ask first
Do you work with insurers (IV and health insurance)?
Yes — we work with the Swiss disability insurance (IV) and with health insurers. We recommend talking to us first. The route that gives you the best chance of coverage: call or WhatsApp us, book an assessment and a first therapy-compliance session, and we'll prepare a detailed medical report you submit to your insurer together with a prescription from your paediatrician.
My child is older — is the centre only for babies?
Not at all. We start from around four months, but our facility and equipment — including the Galileo and our large Spidercages — are designed to give teenagers and young adults a respectful, challenging rehabilitation too.
How long should we stay?
There's no rigid scheme. Based on the team's assessment and the goals we define together, we propose an individual plan — and then shape the length of the block around your availability and family life. Many families combine an intensive block with a weekly rhythm at home. Ready to reach for the stars? Get in touch — we'd love to hear from you.
