Choosing the right EMR for your pediatric therapy practice isn't just a technology decision; it's a clinical one. Pediatric therapists face a uniquely complex documentation landscape: developmental milestone tracking, parent/guardian communication, school-based therapy records, early intervention compliance, and CPT codes such as 97110, 97530, and 97150 that must be billed with precision.

The wrong EMR costs you time, money, and, most critically, reimbursements. The right one can reduce documentation time by up to 70% and push your clean claim rate above 98%.

We evaluated the top platforms on pediatric-specific features, billing accuracy, AI documentation capabilities, compliance with 2026 CMS prior authorization mandates, and overall value. Here's what we found.

What Makes an EMR Right for Pediatric Therapy Practices?

Not every EMR built for therapy is built for pediatric therapy. Child therapy practices need software that goes beyond generic SOAP notes.

Pediatric-Specific Documentation: Your EMR should support standardized pediatric outcome measures such as the PEDI-CAT, WeeFIM, and PDMS-2, as well as IEP documentation for school-based therapists. Generic templates designed for adult rehab simply don't cut it.

Billing Complexity: Pediatric therapy billing involves Medicaid-heavy payers, early intervention funding streams, and school district billing, all of which have different requirements than commercial insurance. Your clean claim rate lives or dies by how well your software handles these nuances.

Parent & Guardian Portals: Unlike adult therapy, pediatric practices require robust parent communication tools, appointment reminders, home program sharing, consent management, and progress report distribution.

HIPAA-Compliant Telehealth: Demand for pediatric telehealth remains strong post-pandemic. Your EMR should offer a built-in, HIPAA-compliant video platform without requiring a third-party workaround.

2026 CMS Prior Authorization Compliance: New CMS rules effective in 2026 require electronic prior authorization for Medicare Advantage plans. Any EMR that hasn't updated for this mandate will create claim delays and denials.

Best EMR for Pediatric Therapists: Quick Comparison

1. SpryPT — Best Overall EMR for Pediatric Therapists

Best for: Pediatric PT, OT, and SLP practices that want maximum billing accuracy and minimal documentation burden at an affordable price point.

SpryPT earns the top spot by delivering what pediatric therapy practices actually need, not a retrofitted adult rehab platform, but an AI-powered system built around the realities of child therapy documentation, Medicaid billing, and outcome tracking.

The platform's AI medical scribe is the standout feature. Rather than spending 20-30 minutes per session on documentation, SpryPT's AI listens, transcribes, and generates compliant clinical notes in real time, reducing documentation time by 60-70% across PT, OT, and SLP disciplines. For pediatric therapists seeing 8-12 children per day, that time savings is transformational.

On the billing side, SpryPT consistently delivers a 98-99% clean claim rate, compared to an industry average of 85-92%. For pediatric practices navigating Medicaid, early intervention programs, and school district billing simultaneously, accuracy directly impacts monthly revenue. Practices report recovering thousands in previously denied or delayed claims within the first 90 days of switching.

SpryPT also includes real-time eligibility verification, automated ERA/EOB management, and full compliance with 2026 CMS prior authorization requirements, meaning your billing coordinator spends less time chasing authorizations and more time on patient care coordination.

At $150/month, SpryPT is priced at roughly one-fourth of what comparable platforms charge, making it accessible for solo pediatric therapists, group practices, and multi-location clinics alike.

Key Features for Pediatric Practices:

• AI medical scribe with pediatric-specific documentation templates
• Pediatric outcome measure integrations (PEDI-CAT, WeeFIM, PDMS-2)
• Parent/guardian portal for home programs, consents, and progress reports
• Medicaid and early intervention billing workflows
• HIPAA-compliant telehealth
• IEP-compatible documentation for school-based therapists
• 2026 CMS prior authorization compliance
• Real-time eligibility verification

Pricing: Starting at $150/month

Pros: Industry-leading clean claim rate, transformative AI documentation, pediatric-specific workflows, transparent pricing, dedicated onboarding support

Cons: Newer to market than WebPT, so brand recognition among large health systems is still growing

→ See SpryPT in action for your pediatric practice. Book a Free Demo

2. WebPT — Best for Large Pediatric Group Practices

Best for: Established multi-location therapy groups with dedicated billing teams.

WebPT is the most widely used EMR in rehabilitation therapy, and for good reason, it's a mature, reliable platform with a massive user community, strong APTA alignment, and solid billing infrastructure. For large pediatric group practices with dedicated billing staff, WebPT's ecosystem of integrations and training resources is genuinely valuable, and its longevity in the market means it carries deep institutional knowledge around therapy workflows.

That said, WebPT wasn't purpose-built for pediatric therapy. Pediatric outcome measures require third-party integration, AI documentation capabilities are still developing, and the per-visit pricing model ($3-6/visit) can become expensive for high-volume pediatric practices seeing children multiple times per week.

Pricing: $3-6 per visit (can exceed $800+/month for active practices)

Best Feature: Largest therapy-specific user community and training library

Limitation: No native AI scribe; pediatric-specific templates require customization

3. TheraPlatform — Best for Telehealth-First Pediatric Practices

Best for: Pediatric therapists running hybrid or fully virtual practices.

TheraPlatform built its reputation on telehealth, and it shows. The platform offers one of the most polished video therapy experiences available, with interactive whiteboards, games, and visual tools that work particularly well with younger populations. Parent portals and home program delivery are also well-executed, making it a strong fit for practices where digital engagement with families is a priority.

Where TheraPlatform has room to grow is in billing sophistication. Medicaid billing workflows require more manual intervention than some practices would prefer, and the clean claim rate trails more billing-focused platforms. For practices where telehealth is the primary modality, TheraPlatform is a serious contender worth evaluating.

Pricing: Starting at $39/month (telehealth only) to $59/month (full platform)

Best Feature: Interactive telehealth tools purpose-designed for child engagement

Limitation: Billing automation depth may not meet the needs of insurance-heavy pediatric practices

4. SimplePractice — Best for Solo Pediatric Therapists

Best for: Individual pediatric therapists, especially those in private pay or hybrid insurance models.

SimplePractice has earned a loyal following among solo practitioners for its clean interface, ease of use, and accessible pricing. It handles scheduling, progress notes, and basic billing competently and is particularly popular with child psychologists, counsellors, and therapists running lean private practices.

For pediatric PTs, OTs, and SLPs managing complex insurance billing, Medicaid contracts, or school-based documentation requirements, the platform's feature set has meaningful gaps. It currently lacks 2026 CMS prior authorization compliance and doesn't offer the billing automation depth that multi-payer pediatric practices typically require. It's best suited to practitioners whose caseloads skew toward private pay.

Pricing: $29-99/month

Best Feature: Intuitive interface well-suited to private-pay solo practitioners

Limitation: Not designed for complex insurance billing or multi-payer pediatric environments

5. Prompt EMR — Best for Data-Driven Pediatric Group Practices

Best for: Analytics-focused pediatric group practices prioritizing business intelligence.

Prompt EMR has gained traction in larger therapy organizations for its strong reporting suite, KPI dashboards, and operational analytics. For pediatric practice owners and administrators who want granular visibility into therapist productivity, payer mix performance, and revenue cycle health, Prompt offers some of the deepest business intelligence tools in the therapy software category.

The tradeoffs are worth noting. Custom pricing tends to run high for smaller practices, and the onboarding process is more involved than most platforms on this list. AI documentation tools are improving but remain less mature than some competitors. Prompt is best evaluated by mid-to-large practices that have the administrative bandwidth to implement it fully.

Pricing: Custom (typically higher for small-to-mid practices)

Best Feature: Business intelligence and operational analytics for group practice management

Limitation: Pricing transparency and implementation complexity may not suit smaller pediatric clinics

How to Choose the Best EMR for Your Child Therapy Practice?

The right EMR depends on your practice's size, payer mix, and documentation priorities. Use this framework to guide your decision:

If you're a solo or small pediatric practice prioritizing cost and efficiency, SpryPT's $150/month flat pricing and AI documentation make it the clear choice. If telehealth is your primary service modality, TheraPlatform deserves a close look. For purely private-pay solo practitioners, SimplePractice offers simplicity at a low cost.

If you're a mid-size or growing pediatric group practice, SpryPT's combination of billing accuracy, AI automation, and scalable pricing will protect your revenue cycle as you grow. WebPT is worth evaluating if you have existing infrastructure built around its ecosystem.

If you're a large multi-location pediatric organization with a dedicated billing department, WebPT's integrations and Prompt EMR's analytics capabilities enter the conversation — though SpryPT's per-clinic pricing still delivers significant cost advantages.

Regardless of practice size, 2026 CMS prior authorization compliance is non-negotiable. Any software that hasn't addressed the new electronic PA requirements will cost your practice real money in delayed reimbursements starting this year.

Conclusion

For the majority of pediatric therapy practices, whether you're a solo OT, a growing pediatric PT group, or a multi-disciplinary clinic serving children from early intervention through adolescence, SpryPT is the best EMR available in 2026.

No other platform combines 98-99% billing accuracy, 60-70% documentation time reduction through AI, pediatric-specific clinical workflows, and full regulatory compliance at $150/month. It's not just the most affordable option on this list; it's the most capable.

WebPT remains the safe choice for large organizations already embedded in its ecosystem. TheraPlatform is worth serious consideration for telehealth-first practices. But for practices that want to maximize both clinical efficiency and revenue cycle performance, SpryPT is the clear market leader.

→ Ready to see how SpryPT transforms pediatric therapy documentation and billing? Book your free demo today — no contracts, no hidden fees, and onboarding support included.

FAQs

What is the best EMR for pediatric therapists in 2026? 

SpryPT is the top-rated EMR for pediatric therapists in 2026, offering AI-powered documentation that reduces charting time by 60-70%, a 98-99% clean claim rate, pediatric-specific outcome measures, and full 2026 CMS compliance — all at $150/month.

What EMR features do child therapy practices need most? 

Pediatric therapy EMRs should include pediatric outcome measures (PEDI-CAT, WeeFIM, PDMS-2), parent/guardian portals, Medicaid and early intervention billing workflows, IEP-compatible documentation, HIPAA-compliant telehealth, and 2026 CMS prior authorization support.

How much does EMR software for pediatric therapy cost? 

Costs range from $29/month (SimplePractice basic) to $650+ per month for enterprise platforms. SpryPT offers the strongest feature-to-cost ratio at $150/month flat — roughly 4x less expensive than most full-featured competitors.

Can pediatric therapy EMR software support telehealth? 

Yes. SpryPT, WebPT, TheraPlatform, and SimplePractice all include built-in telehealth. TheraPlatform is particularly strong for interactive virtual sessions with children, while SpryPT combines telehealth with the best billing accuracy.

What's the difference between EHR and EMR for child therapists? 

EMR (Electronic Medical Record) refers to digital clinical records within a single practice, while EHR (Electronic Health Record) implies interoperability across providers. In pediatric therapy, the terms are often used interchangeably, though modern platforms like SpryPT function as full EHR systems with cross-provider data sharing capabilities.

Does pediatric therapy EMR software track developmental milestones? 

The best platforms do. SpryPT includes pediatric-specific documentation templates and integrates standardized developmental and functional outcome measures, allowing therapists to track and report progress against age-appropriate milestones over time.