Kristie Perry, DPT Gross motor skills require whole body movements which involve large muscles of the body to perform everyday functions. Gross motor skills are crucial for toddlers as they learn to control their body movements, balance, and coordination. Engaging in activities that promote these skills not only fosters physical development but improves overall well-being. Here are five fun and creative activities that parents and caregivers can incorporate into their toddlers’ daily routines to encourage the development of gross motor skills. 1.     Obstacle Course Adven ..read more

Sara Kester, DPT Physical therapist help to increase the child’s strength, mobility, and ability to play and keep up with their peers. Many children are referred to physical therapy if they are developmentally delayed or have a chronic condition. If you are unsure what is normal development is read below or visit this link: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html. Common conditions are: ·       Delayed motor milestones (not sitting, not crawling, etc by the expected time frame) ·       Cerebral palsy ..read more

Sara Kester, DPT Every child is different and treatment will be individualized for him or her! You SHOULD expect treatments to look like play! Teaching a child how to strengthen similar to a gym will be far less beneficial than taking a game they love and adapting it to the needs of the child. Pediatric physical therapists often use toys, balls, and imagination to work on strength, coordination, balance, range of motion, and other specific needs of the child.   In a typical treatment session, a physical therapist may: ·       speak with the parent or gua ..read more

Sara Kester, DPT It’s important to recognize that the child and family may have different goals than the physical therapist, regardless of the diagnosis. Family goals tend to be larger, long-term goals of what they hope the child will be able to achieve and minimizes caretaking. Physical therapy goals will be working towards the family’s long-term goals, however, they will be more focused on what needs to be addressed to obtain those long-term goals. For example, if the family goal is that the child will be able to sit independently for mealtime, the physical therapist goal may be focused on i ..read more

Sara Kester, DPT Toe walking in children can be very common and many parents wonder when it should be considered an issue. In this post we will address what toe walking is, it’s occurrence among various diagnosis, when it’s considered a problem, and the various treatment modalities that exist to correct the problem. Toe Walking in Children:  Toe- walking is when the child walks around on their tippy-toes and rarely let their heel touch the ground. There can be several reasons which cause toe-walking such as a muscle or neurological disorder, however, the most common reason is known as idi ..read more

Grace Goodfellow, DPT Many individuals often wonder, “what is torticollis?”, and if it is a condition that could affect their child. Simply put, torticollis is a condition that causes a muscle imbalance in the next that could cause your child to favor one side of the head over another, which could lead to plagiocephaly further down the road. What is torticollis? Torticollis is a condition of the neck muscles which is either congenital (present at birth) or acquired (happening later in infancy). The most common type of torticollis is Congenital Muscular Torticollis (CMT). Torticollis presents i ..read more

Grace Goodfellow, DPT Physical developmental stages can vary from child to child. This guide will provide a guide for where a child should be progressing from age to age, but with anything there will always be children who hit certain milestones sooner or later without any underlying conditions. If you suspect your child may have a developmental delay, consult your pediatrician who can help guide you through this process and to a trained therapist who can access your child. Physical Developmental Stages Though we all develop in different ways and at different times, there are some general guid ..read more

Grace Goodfellow, DPT While many parents search the internet for tips on how to stop toe walking, what they’re really looking for are tips to help their child child overcome toe walking and have their heels make more complete contact with the ground. In this post Haley Norman, DPT discusses the best ways to overcome this issue. When is Toe Walking a Concern: Toe walking is a concern when your child is over the age of two and walking on their toes 80% of the time or more. It is also a concern is they cannot stand or walk on their heels. Excessive toe walking can cause a shortened Achilles tendo ..read more

Hypotonia is the most common motor disorder in newborn infants. In this post we will discuss what it is, along with symptoms, common underlying diagnosis it’s associated with, and treatment options for hypotonia. Hypotonia: Hypotonia is the lack of adequate tension in the resting muscle, often resulting in muscles that look loose or floppy. Another common name for this condition that you may have heard of before is low muscle tone. While it is a very common condition, early detection and treatment is key to helping your child reach their motor milestones. Underlying Diagnosis: Hypotonia is o ..read more

Many parents struggle with knowing when to start tummy time and what that looks like as their infant gets older and starts to learn more skills. We hope to break down those details for you in this post so you can get the most out of tummy time as soon as possible. When to Start Tummy Time: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting tummy time as soon as you get home from the hospital as long as you don’t have specific concerns from your doctor instructing you otherwise. The earlier you start, the more accustomed to tummy time your baby will be, and they will hopefully become less f ..read more