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من طرف ahmed badeghesh الأربعاء يوليو 09, 2008 4:54 pmWhat is pediatric physical therapy?
Pediatric physical therapy is a specialty that deals with the wide variety of diagnoses that may affect your child's overall development from 0 to 18 years of age. Depending on the age, disability, and setting, the role of the pediatric physical therapist differs greatly. However, the primary role that the pediatric therapist assumes is to be an advocate for you and your child.
Pediatric physical therapists help to ensure that your child's physical performance in every day activities is at its best. Therapists rely on the implementation of their expert knowledge of the neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary (skin) systems to help your child in any one of the following ways:
Once an assessment has been reached, your therapist will discuss his findings with you and educate you on your child's needs; educating caregivers (and your child when possible) on the nature or extent of injury, disability, and the prognosis is an essential component of pediatric physical therapy and helps to keep the caregiver involved and informed of the child's progress. You will also review the plan of care with your therapist, which will entail a discussion of the number of visits, frequency, duration of physical therapy, prognosis, and home activities you must do with your child to help him excel in his areas of difficulty.
Together, you will then create an individualized program specific to your child's goals and/or the family's goals. Activities in the form of play are provided to help your child be better motivated to reach his goals. Your role as a caregiver and your compliance with your child's home program are extremely important for a successful plan of care.
However, please keep in mind that your needs are just as important as your child's needs. In many instances, your pediatric therapist can advocate your needs to the appropriate agencies, which may help to provide you with assistance.
What kinds of services does Suburban provide for its pediatric population?
At Suburban, we specialize in treating children 0-18 with musculoskeletal injuries, infants and toddlers with gross motor developmental delay, Down's Syndrome, cerebral palsy.
My 6 month old baby was diagnosed with developmental delay. What kinds of things would a pediatric therapist do to treat my child's condition?
There are many treatment approaches that pediatric therapists draw from in the 0-3 age population. For example, a therapist may employ hands-on techniques with your child with developmental delay to help facilitate necessary movements or to extinguish adverse ones. The therapist may also incorporate specific positioning strategies and activities to assist your child in achieving age-appropriate developmental milestones. Since treatment time and frequency are limited on a weekly basis, therapists rely on the caregivers to carry out a home program to be performed regularly with their child; the therapist emphasizes educating you on how to perform these therapeutic activities with your child. Your impact on the delivery of care is very important and compliance is essential.
I am interested in knowing more about how pediatric physical therapy can help my 13 year old daughter with cerebral palsy. She has problems walking, she is a little bit weak, and she has poor self-esteem. Is there anything a pediatric therapist can do for her?
Therapists use strengthening and endurance activities for children with many neurological and developmental disabilities; these diagnoses may include cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, muscular dystrophies, and hypotonia. With regards to cerebral palsy, much of the research has shown that strengthening exercises and fitness programs can help improve the gait, overall strength, and self-concept in adolescent children with cerebral palsy (Eagleton, 2004). Please go to the Health Professionals section for more information on how physical therapy has been shown to benefit children with CP.
Should I be concerned that my child isn't walking at 12 months?
This is a concern that is often asked by parents. With the exception of a diagnosed neurological condition, parents should understand that there is a given range for every developmental milestone. With walking, for example, although many children begin their first steps between 10 and 12 months, the actual range falls between 11-15 months; in fact, in one study of over 2000 Canadian infants, about 90% of the infants began their first steps around 13.5 months (Piper/Darrah 1995). In addition, if your child was born prematurely, she/he may be delayed in achieving the typical milestones for a child born at term.
Pediatric physical therapists help to ensure that your child's physical performance in every day activities is at its best. Therapists rely on the implementation of their expert knowledge of the neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary (skin) systems to help your child in any one of the following ways:
- Achieve age-appropriate developmental milestones (e.g., crawl, sit, stand, walk)
- Better participate in age-appropriate gross motor or school activities with peers
- Improve range of motion, strength, mobility, posture, balance, endurance for independent function
- Improve your child's ability to independently negotiate his or her environment (home, school, job, community)
- Actively participate and contribute to the society at large
Once an assessment has been reached, your therapist will discuss his findings with you and educate you on your child's needs; educating caregivers (and your child when possible) on the nature or extent of injury, disability, and the prognosis is an essential component of pediatric physical therapy and helps to keep the caregiver involved and informed of the child's progress. You will also review the plan of care with your therapist, which will entail a discussion of the number of visits, frequency, duration of physical therapy, prognosis, and home activities you must do with your child to help him excel in his areas of difficulty.
Together, you will then create an individualized program specific to your child's goals and/or the family's goals. Activities in the form of play are provided to help your child be better motivated to reach his goals. Your role as a caregiver and your compliance with your child's home program are extremely important for a successful plan of care.
However, please keep in mind that your needs are just as important as your child's needs. In many instances, your pediatric therapist can advocate your needs to the appropriate agencies, which may help to provide you with assistance.
What kinds of services does Suburban provide for its pediatric population?
At Suburban, we specialize in treating children 0-18 with musculoskeletal injuries, infants and toddlers with gross motor developmental delay, Down's Syndrome, cerebral palsy.
My 6 month old baby was diagnosed with developmental delay. What kinds of things would a pediatric therapist do to treat my child's condition?
There are many treatment approaches that pediatric therapists draw from in the 0-3 age population. For example, a therapist may employ hands-on techniques with your child with developmental delay to help facilitate necessary movements or to extinguish adverse ones. The therapist may also incorporate specific positioning strategies and activities to assist your child in achieving age-appropriate developmental milestones. Since treatment time and frequency are limited on a weekly basis, therapists rely on the caregivers to carry out a home program to be performed regularly with their child; the therapist emphasizes educating you on how to perform these therapeutic activities with your child. Your impact on the delivery of care is very important and compliance is essential.
I am interested in knowing more about how pediatric physical therapy can help my 13 year old daughter with cerebral palsy. She has problems walking, she is a little bit weak, and she has poor self-esteem. Is there anything a pediatric therapist can do for her?
Therapists use strengthening and endurance activities for children with many neurological and developmental disabilities; these diagnoses may include cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, muscular dystrophies, and hypotonia. With regards to cerebral palsy, much of the research has shown that strengthening exercises and fitness programs can help improve the gait, overall strength, and self-concept in adolescent children with cerebral palsy (Eagleton, 2004). Please go to the Health Professionals section for more information on how physical therapy has been shown to benefit children with CP.
Should I be concerned that my child isn't walking at 12 months?
This is a concern that is often asked by parents. With the exception of a diagnosed neurological condition, parents should understand that there is a given range for every developmental milestone. With walking, for example, although many children begin their first steps between 10 and 12 months, the actual range falls between 11-15 months; in fact, in one study of over 2000 Canadian infants, about 90% of the infants began their first steps around 13.5 months (Piper/Darrah 1995). In addition, if your child was born prematurely, she/he may be delayed in achieving the typical milestones for a child born at term.
