Physical Therapy Evaluations and Treatments
A physical therapy evaluation is the first step used to determine your child’s strengths and areas in which they may need a little more assistance. At the start of the evaluation a medical and developmental history will be taken to ensure that your child gets the best care tailored directly to their needs. During the evaluation your therapist from Move PT will take your child through a variety of positions like lying on their stomach or back, sitting, standing, etc. The therapist will assess how your child transitions into and out of each position. Your therapist will educate you on all of their findings throughout the evaluation so that together you can come up with a customized plan of care to aide in your child’s development. A detailed written report will be provided after the evaluation is completed – this will summarize the findings from the assessments that were conducted, provide a recommendation as to whether continued therapy is appropriate for your child and list specific goals to target areas of need. Exercises that parents can work on at home will also be discussed during the initial evaluation.
Physical Therapy Intensives
The intensive therapy model maximizes the number of therapy sessions in a short amount of time. Typical intensives include two 60 minute therapy sessions 5 days a week for 1-3 weeks but there is variability in this model and Move PT can customize each intensive to the needs of your child and your goals. Multiple therapy modalities (including DMI and NDT techniques and therasuit therapy) and progressive and repetitive gross motor exercises are used to help children make fast gains towards the next developmental skill. The goal of an intensive is to stimulate neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change and create new neuronal pathways, so that the brain can work more efficiently to control muscles, posture and movement. Intensives are appropriate for children of almost any age and skill level. Please contact us if you have any questions about how an intensive can help your child.
What is DMI therapy?
Dynamic Movement Intervention is a set of comprehensive therapeutic techniques used to treat children with gross motor and neurologic impairments. DMI uses unique and challenging exercises to promote postural responses and movement skills to help children progress towards age appropriate milestones. DMI therapy can be used as part of any child’s therapy program regardless of their current motor skills or cognitive level. This intervention stimulates neuroplasticity to facilitate the creation of new neuronal connections in the developing brain. DMI therapy works very well in conjunction with other therapeutic techniques and modalities.
What is NDT therapy?
Neurodevelopmental treatment therapy is a highly specialized, client centered treatment approach used to help children and adults who have sustained neurologic damage. NDT uses hands on techniques and positioning to enhance a patient’s postural control and movement abilities and make functional every day tasks more efficient. NDT therapy encompasses rehabilitation of the whole person which includes addressing social, functional and cognitive impairments. This is not a cookie cutter approach – the techniques used are highly individualized and tailored to each child’s specific needs and goals. Children of any age and any skill level, regardless of the severity of injury, are appropriate for NDT therapy.
Other Services We Provide
Aquatic therapy
At Move PT, patients can participate in aquatic therapy in a private salt water pool that is heated to optimal therapeutic temperature. Aquatic therapy is an amazing adjunct to more traditional land based therapy and there are so many benefits for the pediatric population. Aquatic therapy provides a novel and engaging environment for children to build strength and endurance, improve balance skills, increase range of motion and coordination and work on the achievement of gross motor skills like rolling, sitting, standing and walking in a buoyant gravity minimized environment
Adaptive equipment assessments and fittings
Adaptive equipment can be a very important part of development for children that need a little more help achieving skills like sitting, crawling, standing or walking. Examples of adaptive equipment include positioning devices, seating systems, standers, toileting systems, bath chairs, transfer assistance equipment and gait trainers (walkers). There are so many pieces of equipment out there that can help children get stronger and move into positions that are challenging for them to achieve independently. Adaptive equipment also provides a wide variety of secondary gains – like improved bone health, improved gastrointestinal and urinary tract function, increased social engagement, improved posture and muscle range of motion, etc. Contact Move PT if you have questions about these amazing pieces of equipment or want to know more about what may work best for your child and family.
Adaptive bicycle evaluations and fittings
Every child deserves to ride a bike! No matter how much assistance your child needs to hold their body upright, sit or stand, there is a way to get them riding! There are multiple companies that manufacture adaptive bikes and Move PT can help recommend which biking system and accessories will allow your child to be the most independent with bike riding. There are also many ways that Move PT can help you adapt an off the shelf bike to meet the unique needs of your child. Call, text or email today to learn more!