Physical Therapy Isn’t Just for Adults: The Many Benefits of Infant and Toddler Physical Therapy

August 4, 2017 10:56 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

As you watch your baby and your best friend’s baby playing on the floor, the gnawing sense of worry you’ve had for weeks grows into deep concern. Even though both children were born within the same month, your friend’s child has mastered several motor skills that your baby hasn’t even begun to show signs of comprehending. Of course, all children develop differently, but you still feel that your baby should be more mobile by now.

What a lot of parents don’t know is that a child’s delayed physical development and other concerns can often be remedied through physical therapy. In fact, parents are often surprised to find that physical therapy isn’t just for adults—it’s for babies, too! Physical therapy can help your child build and improve his gross motor skills, functional mobility skills, strength and safe development. Although physical therapy is not the right answer for every child, below are just a few examples of instances in which our team at our physical therapy clinic in Napa County, CA can help your infant or toddler:

  • They complain of pain when performing gross motor tasks
  • They have difficulty keeping up with their peers during play
  • They walk on the balls of their feet or in an unnatural manner
  • They have a strong preference for using only one side of their body
  • They only turn their head to one side
  • They are unable to perform the same gross motor skills as their peers
  • They frequently trip and fall when walking
  • They are not meeting first-year developmental milestones as expected

Our whole-person wellness approach includes developmental activities, balance and coordination activities, therapeutic exercise, mobility training and adaptive play activities. So, even if your child does not have a particular development concern, physical therapy may still prove beneficial in a variety of other ways:

  • Improved range of motion
  • Whole-body strength
  • Muscle strength
  • Reflexes
  • Posture
  • Balance

Besides the physical benefits, physical therapy can also help give your child confidence to successfully and independently maneuver through the world around them. You will see an increased sense of independence, a stronger desire to try new things and perform new skills and even an improvement in their social interaction skills with their peers. Honestly, the benefits of infant and toddler physical therapy are endless!

If you are concerned about your child’s physical development, don’t put off getting an assessment. Physical therapy intervention is most successful when implemented early. Even if you’re not sure if physical therapy is necessary for your child, a full-body assessment will help detect potential problem areas so they can be addressed and help put your mind at ease.

If you’re interested in learning more about the physical therapy services we offer for infants and toddlers, give us a call or come in to our physical therapy clinic in Napa County, CA today. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have and get your child started on the path to physical wellness.

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