You want your child to be as healthy and comfortable as possible while growing up. Bringing them in for physical therapy for toddlers and babies can help you achieve this goal.
You may be wondering, “What is pediatric physical therapy?”. At its most basic level, it is physical therapy for children, toddlers, and babies.
While many may think that physical therapy is only necessary when someone suffers an injury, there are many reasons children benefit from pediatric physical therapy exercises. To better understand how it might help your child, keep the following points in mind:
Pediatric Orthopedic Physical Therapy Exercises Can Reduce Growing Pains
It’s not uncommon for young children to complain about discomfort in the legs and lower extremities despite there being no identifiable cause. Bring your child to the doctor if they experience such pain. It’s important to confirm an underlying medical issue isn’t causing their discomfort.
However, don’t assume your child faking it or exaggerating the pain if the doctor doesn’t identify a root cause. A study reveals growing pains are real, and can be severe. Pediatric orthopedic physical therapy can help to address them. An experienced PT will evaluate your child’s needs and determine the right pediatric physical therapy exercises for their condition.
Physical Therapy for Special Needs Children Improves Quality of Life
Many special needs children struggle with limited mobility and poor coordination. Luckily, physical therapy for special needs children has proven to be very helpful.
For example, one study indicates that “intensive physical therapy” helps children with cerebral palsy develop the ability to stand, crawl, and kneel to a greater degree than would otherwise be possible.
It’s also worth noting that pediatric orthopedic physical therapy isn’t merely for older children with special needs. Physical therapy for babies and physical therapy for toddlers with special needs helps address mobility problems stemming from birth injuries, genetic defects, and other factors that can affect very young children.
Pediatric Sports Physical Therapy Improves Injury Recovery Experiences
In 2013 alone, sports injuries accounted for 1.35 million emergency room visits in children between the ages of six and 19.
Participating in sports can certainly benefit children; it can also put them at greater risk of harm. They’ll recover much more quickly from injuries they sustain on the field with the help of pediatric sports physical therapy.
This may be particularly important for children who aspire to pursue a career in sports later in life. The faster they recover, the sooner they can start practicing again. Whether it’s leg pain or back pain, a specialist in pediatric sports physical therapy can provide a treatment plan tailored to their specific injury. Special pediatric physical therapy equipment and exercises can get them playing again sooner.
Physical Therapy for Toddlers and Children Offers Safe, Specialized Healing
A child doesn’t need to play a sport to sustain an injury. The problem is, they might start to feel better before an injury has fully healed. The injury may recur if they engage in potentially unsafe activities too soon.
This is another reason to see a physical therapist when your child is injured. They’ll design a program using personalized pediatric physical therapy equipment and exercises to help a child move through the healing process at a steady pace.
This reduces their odds of getting injured again. When a pediatric physical therapist monitors their progress, you know someone is on hand to determine when it’s safe for them to return to activities that might otherwise put them in harm’s way.
To go back to the question of “What is pediatric physical therapy?”, as this brief overview proves, there isn’t one answer to that question. Physical therapy for toddlers vs. physical therapy for special needs children differs from one patient to the next. That is also the case for physical therapy as a whole. That’s because everyone has different needs.
Fortunately, whether you’re looking for physical therapy for toddlers, physical therapy for babies, or even pediatric orthopedic physical therapy, an expert is equipped and qualified to address your child’s specific needs as they develop and grow. To find a qualified pediatric physical therapist near you, use the BetterPT website or download the BetterPT app. A specialist can prescribe your child the right treatment plan to ensure they overcome current discomfort, prevent any in the future, and grow into stronger adults. Your child’s health is a priority.
