Pediatric physical therapy is a specialized physical therapy focusing on helping children. Physical therapy can help children with disabilities or babies not reaching their physical milestones. Here are a few things to expect when working with a pediatric physical therapist.

Setting Appointment Length

According to KidsHealth, most physical therapy appointments for children last 30-60 minutes. The length of an appointment depends on the specific problems your child is having and how old they are. Younger children typically have shorter meetings. However, if a therapist needs to work more with your child, they may let them take breaks and have a longer appointment.

Learning

When you take your little one to therapy, you'll learn many therapeutic interventions yourself. A pediatric physical therapist will usually only work with your child once weekly. They'll teach you specific exercises and things to do at home to help your child reach their therapy goals. Most therapists will tell you to do certain things several times at home to ensure your child reaches their maximum potential.

Getting Thorough Evaluations

Physical therapists take the time to do a complete evaluation of your child. They'll review everything from cognitive development to problems that happened during birth. They will ask about any difficulties while pregnant. This helps them determine the root cause of the problem to ensure your child has the appropriate treatment. It's essential to be honest during this assessment.

Setting Small Goals

Your child's treatment plan will consist of large and small goals. The large goal will be broken up into steps to achieve that goal. For example, babies have to crawl before they can walk. Then, your therapist will work with your child to complete one small goal at a time. It can seem like progress is slow, but this process is necessary to help your child reach the required milestones.

Monitoring Progress

Throughout treatment, a pediatric physical therapist will continuously monitor progress. This is necessary to help your child. They may adjust the treatment plan if they feel it's crucial for success. Your therapist will also make notes during and after appointments to help them properly track how your child is doing. While monitoring progress for one condition, your therapist may notice another condition and make the necessary changes.

Parents and caregivers usually have many questions regarding their child's physical therapy. We'll happily answer any questions you have about what to expect. Contact us today at Interact Therapy to schedule an appointment or ask questions.