Many parents whose children skip the crawling phase believe that their children are not only developing typically but are actually advanced. When parents report that their child has skipped crawling, the pediatrician may (or may not) indicate that it’s an issue. So is it important for a child to crawl? The short answer is yes,…
Starting out in the field of pediatrics, I was incredibly fortunate to work with and learn from a phenomenal Physical Therapist, Pamela Hansford. Through many years of practical experience, she developed a theoretical explanation of how apparently “minor problems” may have a significant effect on a child’s life. Even the most subtle degree of postural…
Have you ever gotten a “crick” in your neck (or back)? If you have, then you probably noticed that though the pain and restricted movement may have been specific to one small area, it affected your body in other ways. – you may have walked differently or been more careful about turning your body. When…
Can you believe it’s almost time for school to start? With the first day looming, we thought it would be a good time to discuss concerns physical therapists have about school backpacks. Every day, children use backpacks to carry books and supplies back and forth from school and between classes. Many children carry very heavy packs,…
Often, parents want to know what the difference is between occupational therapy and physical therapy. Should your child see an OT, a PT, or both, and if so, why? I’m here today to help clarify how they are similar, but more importantly, how they are different! It can seem confusing at times, because the roles…
The benefits of most of the tools that physical therapists use are easy to see. It’s obvious that stretching and strengthening exercises are intended to, well, stretch and strengthen a child’s muscles, and it’s often easy to see an immediate positive change in a child’s ambulation when he gets a new pair of ankle-foot orthotics…
When the original Nintendo Wii was released just over eight years ago, it revolutionized gaming as the first motion-control gaming console on the market. A few years later, Microsoft released its own motion-control gaming device for Xbox 360, Kinect. Both the Wii and Kinect detect player movement and incorporate it into the game, albeit in…
I’m taking a few days off this week, keeping my two-year old granddaughter occupied while her mom and newborn sister try to rest and dad’s at work. Being with my newborn granddaughter has gotten me to thinking about the babies I see at Kid’s Creek Therapy, some of whom I treat for infant torticollis. In today’s post I’m sharing…
Recently, during the course of a physical therapy session, I asked the patient’s mom how they spend their day at home with baby. She told me that he has started doing more “tummy time,” which most pediatricians highly recommend for development. She also told me how much he loves his “exersaucer” and spends a lot of time…
“She broke her toe when she got up from W-sitting on the floor while she was reading a book!” That was the opener as a mom and her daughter came in for a scheduled physical therapy session. What is W-sitting, what’s wrong with W-sitting, and what to do about it? Let’s start with what is…