Questions about Physical Therapy? Read our FAQs.

The Physical Therapist (PT) helps children with balance, movement, and other activities involving the large muscles of the body. The PT works on gross motor skills such as stability and trunk control, rolling, sitting, crawling and walking.  They also work on the transitional movements from one static position to another. A PT may also assist in making recommendations for adaptive equipment.

Physical therapy helps improve your child’s coordination and balance in the home, outdoor, and play environments, as well as providing a foundation of physical skills for school. Your PT is there to support you as a parent too, so that you can better help your child participate in all the daily activities and routines of your family.

Frequently Asked Questions about Physical Therapy for Children

1At what age should my child roll?
Between 4 and 6 months. Kids may roll before then, but it is usually and accident or my use of momentum.
2Is it a big deal if my child does not crawl?
There are so many benefits of crawling including: upper body strength, hip and CORE muscle strength.It also stretches and strengthens the muscles in the hand and carries over to fine motor progression.It is not recommended to skip over a developmental milestone. It may cause difficulty when progressing to future mile stones such as pulling to stand, standing position and balance and walking.
3Is it better to put shoes on my child when the start to walk?
It is important for kids to get the sensory experience of barefoot walking.Softer soled shoes are better early on and should be flexible.
4How long/often should my baby spend on his/her tummy?
15 minutes twice  a day is optimal. If your baby is unable to tolerate that long, start out with many short bouts several times a day. You can work up to longer stretches over time.
5Is it OK to put my child in an excersaucer?
Most therapists agree that placing your child on the floor with the ability to move is preferable to the exersaucer.