Physical Therapy
Pediatric physical therapy addresses gross motor function: strength, balance, coordination, endurance and mobility. The objective is safe, efficient movement and full participation in age-appropriate activity.
- We assess motor milestones, gait, strength, balance, tone and endurance.
- Intervention is active and play-based, directed at the specific limitation identified.
- Where equipment or orthotics are indicated, we assess, recommend and coordinate with your physician.
Jump to:
- What physical therapy is
- When an evaluation is warranted
- What an evaluation involves
- What we treat
- Parent coaching
- How to begin
- Questions parents ask
What physical therapy is
We assess how your child sits, stands, walks, runs and manages their body against gravity, then identify what is limiting them: strength, postural control, balance, tone, coordination or endurance.
From that assessment we set functional goals: a safer gait pattern, negotiating stairs independently, sustaining activity at the playground, or achieving a delayed motor milestone.
Sessions are active. Guided play, graded exercise and repeated practice of the target movement, structured so that your child can succeed at each step.
Where foot orthoses, a walker or a wheelchair would improve function, we assess the need, explain the options in plain terms, and coordinate with your child physician and school. Nothing is decided without you.
When an evaluation is warranted
- Delay in rolling, sitting, crawling or independent walking.
- Frequent falls, or tripping disproportionate to the age.
- Avoidance of stairs, running, jumping or playground equipment.
- Fatigue markedly earlier than same-age peers.
- Persistent toe-walking, or an atypical gait pattern.
- Low or high muscle tone noted on passive movement.
- A diagnosis affecting tone, coordination or motor development.
If you are unsure whether this is within normal variation, the expected motor milestones by age are set out here.
What an evaluation involves
- Case history. Birth, developmental and medical background, reviewed with you.
- Motor assessment. Age-referenced measures of gross motor skill and milestone attainment.
- Physical examination. Strength, range of motion, muscle tone, postural control and alignment.
- Gait and functional observation. Walking, stairs, transitions, and getting up from the floor.
- Findings and plan. Results and recommendations explained, and provided to you in writing.
What we treat
A safer, more efficient walking pattern over varied surfaces.
Reducing falls and improving stability during activity.
The base for sitting, standing and sustained participation.
Jumping, climbing, ball skills and bilateral tasks.
Sustaining a school day, a playground visit or a family outing.
Assessment, fitting and periodic review of mobility supports.
Parent coaching
Motor change requires repetition, and most repetition happens outside the clinic. We provide a short, specific home programme and review adherence and progress at each visit.
You will know which movements to encourage and which to leave alone. If the programme does not fit your week, tell us and we will restructure it rather than have it go undone.
How to begin
- Contact us. Describe what you observe when your child moves, or avoids moving.
- Evaluation. Motor assessment, physical examination and functional observation.
- Individualized plan. Functional goals, coordinated with your child physician and school.
For coverage, here are the plans we work with.
Questions parents ask
How does this differ from occupational therapy?
Physical therapy addresses gross motor function and mobility. Occupational therapy addresses the use of the body for daily tasks, together with sensory processing. They overlap and are frequently indicated together. More on occupational therapy.
My child is walking late. Should we wait?
Variation in the timing of milestones is normal up to a point. An evaluation distinguishes normal variation from a delay that warrants intervention, which is worth establishing early.
Is treatment painful?
No. Sessions should be effortful, not painful. If your child reports discomfort, we modify what we are doing.
Do you coordinate with our physician?
Yes. We work with pediatricians, orthopedists and neurologists, and with the school where it is relevant to the goals.
What does it cost?
Costs and payment, explained plainly, including private pay and Step Up.
Keep reading
Unsure whether this is normal variation?
Describe what you are observing and we will tell you whether an evaluation is warranted.