Pediatric Physical Therapy Program
At EPTG, we love our patients of all ages, but we have a special fondness for all our pediatric patients! We love working with their determined minds and watching their smiles grow as they meet new challenges with success. Often times, a child may not realize they have challenges or delays, and we provide ways to make PT fun and rewarding. We believe that every child should have a chance to live a full and active life and our friendly pediatric doctors know how to add the fun in every session and it is our joy to see them achieve success and overcome challenges.
How Do I Know If My Child Needs Pediatric Physical Therapy
Sometimes, it isn’t obvious that your child may need an extra hand in their development. As parents, we want the best for our children but sometimes we just don’t know what to look for. If you happen to be watching other children and notice your child isn’t keeping up with them or performs a bit differently, it may be worth getting a check up just to be sure everything is ok. If caught early, PT can be advantageous in helping your child achieve overcome any disadvantage.
When your child meets with a practitioner they go through a variety of checks that are measured against a set of general guidelines. If the practitioner notices any delays, weaknesses, imbalances, or challenges that your child is facing, he or she can immediately begin treatment. A pediatric practitioner will work through these limitations and give your child a better chance to be able to run, play and socialize with other children.
Other times, it may be more noticeable or expected that PT will be needed. Such as when a child is injured in an accident, or from genetic or neurological disorders. When mobility is reduced or causes pain, there is muscle weakness, or normal activity has decreased, this is a sign treatment may be required to help your child return to optimal health.
In any circumstance, you can help set goals and set up a customized treatment plan. Our practitioners will provide you with progress reports at each session and help with at-home routines that will be fun and engaging for you and your child. We will be happy to make adjustments as needed to assure your child remains safe and comfortable as they grow, overcome, recover, or even take their first steps.
What Can Pediatric Physical Therapy Treatment Do For My Child?
Engaging treatment for any child can leave positive and life-changing outcomes that build confidence and ignite the drive to overcome future challenges. As frustrating as these obstacles can be in their lives, we know the impact that successes, however small, can have in creating a sense of well-being. Children have a natural curiosity and tenacity that makes them model patients.
Our doctors are specialized, fully trained and enjoy working with children of every age, from infants through teens. When addressing your child’s needs, we focus on seven core areas in helping your child reach optimal health.
- MOTOR SKILLS
- Our wonderful bodies move beautifully when our muscles are working properly and are trained through repetitive skill-building techniques. We focus on building gross and fine motor skills, such as throwing a ball and picking up marbles to build confidence and ability that will put them back on track.
- MOBILITY
- Being able to walk, and run, and jump and play are what a child’s body loves to do. When neurological disorders, disease, developmental delays or injury prevent this, a child can feel at a disadvantage over the other children. We are keen on increasing every child’s natural desire to explore and play and helping them develop independence.
- STRENGTH
- Whether muscle weakness is caused by the body’s inability to develop properly or from injury, developing strength is necessary to help a child’s body achieve optimal wellness. We offer a variety of fun challenges and games that will help your child develop strength without realizing how hard they are working.
- FLEXIBILITY
- All bodies are meant to be flexible and being flexible can help avoid injury and provide quick recovery when an injury happens. We work with your child to provide fun ways to develop stretching habits that will keep him or her touching their toes as their body grows.
- BALANCE
- If your child falls or trips or tends to be wobbly, more than what seems to be normal, we can look to determine what the cause is. There may be many causes for imbalance and we offer a variety of practices that can help develop and restore balance.
- COORDINATION
- Think about being able to synchronize movements on one side of the body with the other side of the body, such as swimming or riding a bike. If your child finds that simple tasks, like jumping rope, are difficult, we provide muscle training exercises that can help to develop coordination and confidence.
- POSTURE
- Sometimes muscles get in the way and can cause poor posture. This may result in pain and additional skeletal issues such as joint and back issues. With strengthening techniques focused on the inner core of muscles, we work to correct posture which can also aid in increasing balance and even ease of walking.
If you feel there are any concerns with how your child is developing, we would be happy to provide you with a consultation and evaluate how your child functions in these seven core areas and provide a treatment plan. You can expect exceptional care and genuine concern with friendliness and a smile from each of our pediatric practitioners at any of our New Jersey locations. We are dedicated to helping your child make remarkable strides with our services and are available any time you need us.
