Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy commonly referred to as “PT”, helps to improve an individual’s gross motor development which involves a person’s larger, stronger muscle groups. For children in particular, Physical Therapy helps to enable a child to hold his/her head up, sit, crawl, and eventually walk, run, jump and skip.
If a child qualifies for PT Services through the developmental screening and evaluation process, therapy services will be provided by a Physical Therapist or Physical Therapy Assistant in a child’s natural environment. For children ages birth through two years, this is usually the home or a childcare setting. For children ages three through five years, it is often a preschool setting or another educational setting. The goal of Physical Therapy is to improve a child’s motor skills and increase his/her independence through developing muscle strength, coordination and flexibility.
Targeted Areas for Motor Skill Development:
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Developing head and trunk control
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Balance and transitional movements
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Posture
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Range of Motion
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Coordination through the use of developmental sequences
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Development of protective reactions, and inhibition of “primitive reflexes”
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Tone adjustment techniques, and special equipment
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Sensory Integration