Physical Therapy: Developing Strength for Tomorrow
Understanding how a child’s motor performance develops, and how it is related to the child’s cognitive development, is the basis of pediatric physical therapy (PT).
At Cincinnati Children’s, our physical therapists work to minimize the effect that injuries, disease or developmental disabilities have on a child’s ability to function. Our team’s goal is to help every child, adolescent and young adult reach his or her full potential.
What Physical Therapy Offers
For children who face physical challenges, long-term disabilities or injuries, physical therapy offers an opportunity for life-changing progress. Our therapists are specially trained and skilled in working with children who face sports injuries, developmental delays and a host of conditions that can affect a child’s ability to complete daily tasks.
Our therapists use positive approaches, age-appropriate activities and cutting-edge techniques to improve a child’s motor skills, balance and coordination, and strength and endurance.
What to Expect in Treatment
Your child’s evaluation
During the first few visits, our physical therapists will evaluate your child, the condition that affects her functioning, and the specific needs she has.
The therapist will:
- Observe and analyze the way your child moves, plays and walks
- Identify potential posture and alignment problems
- If your child has pain, determine the source of the pain and provide techniques to manage it
- Provide instructions for home exercise programs
- Consult with other medical professionals and school personnel to ensure care is consistent throughout your child’s day
- If your child has a sports injury, recommend a safe time to return to sports
Treatment Customized for Your Child
After thoroughly evaluating your child, the physical therapist will create a treatment plan that might include:
- Activities to ease pain, encourage movement and help your child reach normal developmental milestones
- Strength training
- Stretching exercises to improve muscle flexibility
- Balance and coordination activities to decrease falls and injuries
- Adaptive play activities to allow your child to participate in school or recreational activities such as T-ball or gymnastics
- Aquatic (pool) therapy to strengthen weak muscles
- Techniques to help prevent injuries and keep your child safe
- Training in the use of equipment that helps replace lost function or promotes independent movement
- Activities to assist children and young adults who are recovering from sports injuries
Our physical therapists collaborate with occupational therapists, physicians and other specialists to maximize your child’s potential with specific programs customized to address his unique needs.
Guidelines for determining frequency of therapy service are used to help decide how often and for how long your child could benefit from therapy. We believe in ongoing communication with a child’s family, physicians and teachers to ensure appropriate treatment. Our therapists will work with you to develop the most appropriate and effective plan of care. From the day your child enters therapy, our primary goal is to help your entire family develop the skills and knowledge to help your child continue to thrive after the course of treatment ends.
