Pediatric physical therapy is a therapy that helps children with movement problems. It can help with conditions such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and spina bifida.
Physical therapists use different types of equipment and exercises to help children move better. They also teach families how to care for their child’s condition.
What is a pediatric physical therapist?
Pediatric therapists help kids improve their movement.
They work with infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents who have:
- Cerebral palsy: A neurological disorder that affects muscle coordination and body movement
- Muscular dystrophy: A group of genetic disorders that weaken the muscles
- Spina bifida: A birth defect in which the spinal cord does not form properly
- Developmental delay: When a child does not reach certain milestones, such as sitting up, crawling, or walking, by the expected age
- Down syndrome: A genetic disorder that causes delays in physical and mental development
- Autism spectrum disorder: A range of neurodevelopmental disorders that can cause social, communication, and behavioral challenges
- Sensory processing disorders: Disorders that affect the way the brain processes information from the senses
They also help children who are:
- Recovering from an injury
- Rehabbing after surgery
A lot of what Physical therapists do is work with families.
They teach them how to:
- Care for their child’s condition
- Use adaptive equipment
- Do therapeutic exercises at home
What type of equipment do pediatric PTs use?
- Exercise balls: These are great for building strength, and improving balance, and coordination.
- Therapy bands: These help with range of motion, flexibility, and strength.
- Therapy putty: This is used to improve hand strength.
- Wobble boards: These help with balance training.
- Hula hoops: These are fun while working on core strength, balance, and coordination.
- Trampolines: These are great for vestibular (balance) training and proprioceptive (joint position sense) input.
- Bicycles: These help with cardiovascular endurance and can be used for vestibular or proprioceptive input.
What type of exercises do pediatric physical therapists use?
- Gross motor skills exercises: These help with the big movements of the arms and legs.
- Fine motor skills exercises: These help with the small movements of the hands and fingers.
- Sensory integration exercises: These help the brain process information from the senses.
- Vestibular (balance) exercises: These help with the sense of movement and where the body is in space.
- Proprioceptive (joint position sense) exercises: These help the brain understand where the joints are in space.
- Strengthening exercises: These help the muscles work better.
- Endurance exercises: These help the body keep going for longer periods of time.
- Range of motion exercises: These help increase the amount that joints can move.
- Stretching exercises: These help keep muscles and joints flexible.
How can I find a pediatric physical therapist near me?
You can ask your child’s doctor for a referral. You can also search the American Physical Therapy Association’s “Find a PT” tool.
And if you live in Austin Texas Austin Physical Specialists is a great place to start.
At Austin Physical Specialists, we specialize in helping kids reach their full potential. We have a team of specialists who are passionate about working with kids. So, if your child needs help with their movement, we can help!
Give us a call and schedule an appointment today! We look forward to meeting you and your family!
Thankyou.
