Pediatric Physical Therapy Services

Gross Motor Development: Gross motor (physical) skills are those which require whole body movement and which involve the large (core stabilizing) muscles of the body to perform everyday functions, such as standing, walking, running, and sitting upright. They also includes eye-hand coordination skills such as ball skills (throwing, catching, and kicking).

Coordination Disorders: This is a childhood disorder that leads to poor coordination and clumsiness. About 5% of school-age children have some kind of developmental coordination disorder. Signs that your child may show: may have trouble holding objects, have an unsteady walk, they may run into other children, and they may trip over their own feet.

Balance: This is a great skill to help your child progress with their gross motor skills, leisure activities, and activities of daily living. A good sense of balance requires that muscles are able to control posture and keep the body upright. Being on balance is the process of controlling the body’s center of mass.

Torticollis / Plagiocephaly: Torticollis is relatively common in newborns. Some babies with torticollis also will develop a flat head (positional plagiocephaly) on one or both sides, due to laying in one direction all the time, or they might develop a small neck lump or bump, which is similar to a "knot" in a tense muscle.

Functional Skills Training/Mobility: In addition to walking (mobility) training, Physical Therapists also train patients how to transfer from a bed to a chair, how to get up off of the floor, how to climb stairs, and how to use a wheelchair.

Strength & Endurance: Strength and endurance is important to enable children to perform every day functions, such as opening jars, carrying heavy school bags, walking, running, skipping, as well as playground skills (e.g. climbing) and sporting skills (e.g. catching, throwing and hitting a ball with a bat). Muscular endurance helps maintain proper posture all day long.

Joint Mobility: Mobility impairments range from lower body impairments, which may require use of canes, walkers, or wheelchairs, to upper body impairments which may include limited or no use of the upper extremities and hands.

Kinesio Taping: It is an elastic tape that has multiple purposes depending on where and how it is applied. It is often used to reduce pain, swelling, improve strength, encourage optimal alignment, and decrease muscle fatigue. Common diagnosis treated: Cerebral Palsy, paralysis, Down Syndrome, gross motor developmental delay, low muscle tone, decreased coordination, Brain injury, Torticollis, and children with gait abnormalities such as toe-walking, flat feet, and hyperextension.

Medical Equipment Management: Physical therapists also assess the need, and monitor the fit and tolerance for durable medical equipment (such a walkers, wheelchairs, adaptive strollers and standers) and orthotics (such as back or leg braces). Your physical therapist works closely with local medical vendors and orthotists for the best possible product for your child.