We Are Getting Physical! (Therapy, That Is)

We at Team FUNdamental are SO excited for our newest addition: Physical Therapy!  With our mission to make therapy more accessible, it became apparent that adding physical therapy to our list of services was a necessity. We couldn’t be more excited for this expansion!

Our physical therapy services will align with our mission at FUNdamental Pediatric Therapy and will be play-based, child-centered, and informed by research. 

Are you curious how physical therapy can support children and families in our community? Here are some of the areas our physical therapy team can screen, evaluate, and treat to ensure that children are able to thrive in their environments.

Developmental Milestones
Gross motor milestones like rolling over, sitting, crawling, pulling up, standing, walking, etc develop within a “typical” range. These milestones are significant because each milestone supports the next. Therefore, there are times when a physician recommends physical therapy to support a child with meeting those milestones at an appropriate time. Our team is excited to join hands with caregivers to support children with meeting each milestone.

Post-Injury Rehabilitation
Unfortunately, a fun time on the playground or during a sports activity can occasionally lead to an injury such as a break or a sprain. It is important to intervene with therapy after to ensure full recovery. With physical therapy, we can help restore strength and range of motion back to the area of injury once the physician clears the child for therapy. The goal is to achieve complete recovery so each child can go back to activities that he/she loves without feeling the impact of that injury.

Balance
Difficulties with balance can make it hard for a child to remain upright or to maintain a stable position needed for sitting, standing, or moving around during a task or activity. If balance goes untreated, fall risk increases. A physical therapist can target balance skills and ensure that a child can safely sit, stand, or move around the environment for a designated amount of time as needed for daily activities.

Coordination/Motor Planning
Moving the right muscle at the right time with the right intensity can be difficult for some children, particularly during activities such as sports, recess, or navigating their school or home environments. Difficulties with coordination can increase a child’s fall risk and impact overall quality of life and independence. Physical therapy can support children with motor planning and coordination difficulties to ensure children feel safe AND to allow caregivers to feel reassured during their child’s daily physical activities and tasks.

Pediatric Strength Training
Individuals with neuromuscular disorders can benefit from routine strength training with a physical therapist. When the muscular system is limited in any way, routine activities such as climbing the stairs to get to the slide OR walking to the kitchen to get a drink can be exhausting and unsafe. Regular strength training with a physical therapist can help increase endurance in daily activities and prevent injury.

Developmental or Neurological Conditions

Pediatric physical therapists work with children with a wide variety of developmental and neurological conditions. These conditions include torticollis, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, genetic disorders, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. We utilize a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to therapy at FUNdamental–that means that speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy join hands to ensure that every child has the tools he or she needs to function, play, and learn like their peers.

Assistive/Adaptive Tools
Physical therapists can also locate and utilize products and tools that can support children with limited physical mobility, strength, coordination, and balance during activities of daily living. Activities like sitting at the table or moving around the environment can be exhausting and unsafe when you have limitations in these areas. There are many products and tools our physical therapist can recommend that are designed to prioritize safety, independence, and endurance. Some examples include positioning pillows, positioning seats, walkers, crutches, and environmental tools like ramps. Our physical therapy team will identify and train on recommended tools for children with a need, even with a temporary need such as a break or sprain.

These are just some of the ways our newest service will support children and families in our community.  If you would like to hear more about PT or our other therapy services, schedule a free consultation here: https://www.fundamentalpediatrictherapy.com/free-consultation

-Team FUNdamental