When most people hear "physical therapy" they immediately think of rehabilitation for adults, when in fact, children may also be in need of physical therapy.
"Children may need physical therapy to teach them how to walk after a bone is broken or how to move after a spinal injury. They may also need therapy to learn how to walk again and return to school after a head injury," says Elizabeth Cross, MSW, P.T., a pediatric physical therapist at the University of Maryland Hospital for Children. She says, "When children are born prematurely they do not use their muscles properly and their development is delayed. Physical therapy can help these infants and toddlers learn to use their muscles to move independently."
"The ultimate goal is to have our young patients work through their limitations and become as independent as possible instead of learning to accommodate their limitations," says Cross.
Cross aims to teach her patients to use their muscles normally. This is accomplished by improving their strength. For instance, a young patient with cerebral palsy might need to practice activities that help stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak ones so that bones develop normally and are stable enough to hold the child upright. Sometimes when muscles are tight they pull on bones, which may force the bones out of their normal position. This may be uncomfortable and interfere with a child's movement.
Physical therapy helps to stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak muscles. It may also require special equipment such as braces to assist a child with movement.
Physical therapy may be tiring for a child, but the key is to make the hard work fun. Cross plays games with the children that focus on balance, mobility and sensory skills to help them improve their independence.
The most important people, however, are the family members who learn to incorporate the therapy activities into home life to help the child continue to thrive.
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