Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy, sometimes referred to as PT, is a type of therapy that helps with a child's ability to move. When a child's movement is limited, it affects their everyday life and inhibits their ability to perform daily activities. At KidSPOT, our therapists help to restore a child's gross motor skills with fun activities that keep them entertained and happy!
Physical therapists help improve gross motor skills (tasks that involve large muscle groups), by encouraging kids to do things like:
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Play on large exercise balls to build strength
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Run/hop around to improve their coordination
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Balance on a balance beam
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Stand on one foot
PTs can help with many issues, including:
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Not hitting the milestones for their age
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Genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome
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Delays in development, such as a child who should be walking
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Muscle weakness or imbalances
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Poor coordination and/or motor planning – which is the ability to think of and carry out a motor act, such as writing with a pencil
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Nerve/muscle conditions, such as cerebral palsy
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Recovery from sports- and non-sports-related injuries
If your child needs physical therapy, they’ll work with a pediatric physical therapist (PT). Typically, pediatric PTs treat kids under 18, from newborns to teenagers. They see children for a variety of different reasons, including bone/muscle issues, sports-related injuries, or genetic, brain, spine, or nerve disorders.
During an initial visit, a PT will check your child’s strength, development, and see how easily they can stand, walk, and complete tasks appropriate for their age to see if there is a delay. If there is a delay, they also determine the degree and potential cause of the delay. From there, a PT will work with you and your child to figure out a treatment plan.
KidSPOT provides PT services in a variety of locations including our outpatient gyms, classrooms, homes, and preschools. In addition, KidSPOT provides school based physical therapy services at the following districts:
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Westside
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Brookland