Do you have questions about your child's gross motor skills? |
Physical Therapy
Pediatric Physical Therapists help children develop and improve their flexibility, strength, balance and coordination. Gross motor skills are targeted to help kiddos reach their developmental milestones. Their primary role is to work with children and their families to assist each child in reaching their maximum potential to function independently and to promote active participation in home, school, and community environments. Physical therapists use their expertise in movement and apply clinical reasoning through the process of examination, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention and play an integral role in your child’s developmental team.
Pediatric physical therapy focuses on strengthening, balance and coordination. PT promotes achievement of skills in:
- Mobility – getting from one place to another through crawling or walking
- Strengthening – promotes independence in sitting, crawling, standing, rolling and walking
- Locomotor skills – such as jumping, hopping, running and skipping
- Transfers – such as standing to sitting and sitting to standing etc.
- Positioning – promotion of correct body alignment
F.A.Q.'s
What is the difference between OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT) AND PHYSICAL Therapy (PT)?
Pediatric OTs primarily concentrate on fine motor activities as well as helping a child integrate all of their sensory systems so that they can be the best they can be!
Pediatric PTs primarily work on gross motor skills, coordination, endurance, motor planning and strengthening.
If one were to observe a pediatric occupational or physical therapy session, many similarities could be found in the actual activities. However, each therapist might be working on very different goals. For example, both OT’s and PT’s often utilize obstacle courses as a treatment technique. The physical therapist might use the obstacle course to focus on the gross motor skills of balance, jumping, endurance, strengthening, motor planning, etc. as needed for an individual to more fully participate in school PE or in playing with peers. An occupational therapist might use the exact same obstacle course, but would focus on the skills of attending to task, auditory processing skills, motor planning/body awareness, sequencing skills, and short term memory skills as needed to maximize functional abilities in a classroom setting. In addition, the OT might also be addressing the proprioceptive, tactile, and vestibular sensory input that is provided in the obstacle course.
Pediatric PTs primarily work on gross motor skills, coordination, endurance, motor planning and strengthening.
If one were to observe a pediatric occupational or physical therapy session, many similarities could be found in the actual activities. However, each therapist might be working on very different goals. For example, both OT’s and PT’s often utilize obstacle courses as a treatment technique. The physical therapist might use the obstacle course to focus on the gross motor skills of balance, jumping, endurance, strengthening, motor planning, etc. as needed for an individual to more fully participate in school PE or in playing with peers. An occupational therapist might use the exact same obstacle course, but would focus on the skills of attending to task, auditory processing skills, motor planning/body awareness, sequencing skills, and short term memory skills as needed to maximize functional abilities in a classroom setting. In addition, the OT might also be addressing the proprioceptive, tactile, and vestibular sensory input that is provided in the obstacle course.
How can Physical Therapy help my child?
Physical therapy helps to increase a child’s mobility, range of motion, strength, endurance, postural support and balance, so that they are better able to play and move at home and in the community. A physical therapist may use massage, heat, stretching, or strength training with children who have delays involving large muscles and orthopedic development. Physical therapy is also used to address sports related injuries.
How long will a typical therapy session last and what will my child be doing?
A typical physical therapy treatment session will last approximately an hour depending on the child’s endurance or level of fatigue. During a typical treatment session the therapist will plan fun and play based activities geared towards each child. These activities may include crawling, walking, climbing stairs, jumping and playing games to address balance and coordination, and to strengthen the large muscles of the body.
Who could benefit from pediatric physical therapy?
Children who can benefit from physical therapy may have been diagnosed with:
- Gross motor developmental delays
- Orthopedic injuries
- Cerebral palsy
- Spina bifida
- Down syndrome
- Brain injuries
- Autism spectrum disorders
- Low muscle tone
- Torticollis
- Toe walking
- Coordination difficulties
What role will our family play in our childs physical therapy?
Parents and families have the primary role in their child’s development. The pediatric PT collaborates with the family to promote development and implement an individualized intervention program for the child. Families are supported through coordination of services, advocacy, and assistance to enhance the development of their child. This can include:
• Positioning during daily routines and activities
• Adapting toys for play
• Expanding mobility options
• Using equipment effectively
• Facilitating safety for the home and community
• Providing information on the child’s physical and health care needs
• Smoothing transitions from early childhood to school and into adult life
• Positioning during daily routines and activities
• Adapting toys for play
• Expanding mobility options
• Using equipment effectively
• Facilitating safety for the home and community
• Providing information on the child’s physical and health care needs
• Smoothing transitions from early childhood to school and into adult life