Pediatric Physical Therapy Katy TX

Most of us perform our daily activities without giving them much thought. Bending over to pick something up doesn’t seem special when it is easy to do, especially pain-free. Walking up and down stairs doesn’t require a second thought when your body works as it should. Yet, these routine activities can be a barrier to a positive lifestyle, hindering the life of a child with an injury, pain, or developmental delays. That’s why Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers - Cinco Ranch, TX offers specialized pediatric physical therapy. 

At Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers - Cinco Ranch, TX, we help your child recover from injuries and reach developmental milestones by improving their strength, flexibility, movement patterns, and range of motion. Reduced pain and better function enhance your child’s happiness and quality of life with pediatric physical therapy. 

What is Pediatric Physical Therapy?

We can’t simply treat children as if they are just small adults. As they develop and grow, the approach to helping them progress and increase their ability to function independently is different than with adults. Pediatric therapy focuses on neurodevelopment, motor control, increasing strength, and reaching developmental milestones using hands-on manual physical therapy and other appropriate treatments.

Pediatric physical therapy uses an approach specialized for engaging children to improve results. Sessions are designed to seem more like play using games and activities that the children enjoy. Advanced Pediatric therapy can be challenging, so your pediatric physical therapist at Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers - Cinco Ranch, TX, makes sure that the children are having fun while they improve. 

Conditions That Can be Treated in an Advanced Pediatric Therapy Center in Katy, TX

Many childhood diseases and disorders involve movement dysfunctions or motor skill issues. Physical therapy successfully treats this type of condition. 

These childhood conditions include: 

• Arthrogryposis
• Autism
• Cancer
• Cardio-Pulmonary Disorders
• Cerebral Palsy (CP)
• Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
• Down Syndrome
• Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Spina Bifida
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Concussion

Some children have hypotonia (decreased muscle tone) or a developmental coordination issue without being formally diagnosed. Treatments help regardless of the diagnosis or lack thereof. 

Orthopedic conditions also respond to PT, including issues like back pain, scoliosis, sports injuries, fractures, and before and after orthopedic surgery.

Does Your Child Need to See a Pediatric Physical Therapist?

A pediatric physical therapist at Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers - Cinco Ranch, TX, starts with an assessment of your child’s situation to evaluate how physical therapy will help. Consider this initial evaluation if you notice your child is in pain, they have been injured, or they have a condition that makes it challenging to accomplish the age-appropriate activities of daily living.

Pediatric physical therapists work on gross motor development, strength, muscle tone, posture, gait, neuromuscular functions, endurance, musculoskeletal conditions, dance and sports preparation, performance enhancement, and overall wellness.

Your child may need physical therapy to support the development of motor skills for sitting, crawling, walking, and/or keeping their balance. Issues with flexibility, range of motion, mobility, and strength as a result of an injury, surgery, or illness can be addressed. 

Advanced pediatric therapy helps children with issues like:

• Preparation for sports or dance to reduce the risk of injury
• Enhancing sports or dance performance abilities
• Recovery from sports and dance injuries
• Reducing the risk of re-injury  
• Recovering from non-sports-related injuries, like a fall or car accident
• Hitting age-appropriate physical milestones sooner 
• Developmental problems and delays, like not being able to crawl or walk 
• Muscle imbalance or weaknesses
• Problems with both gross and fine motor coordination 
• Nerve and/or muscle conditions, such as cerebral palsy (CP)
• Genetic disorders, such as Down Syndrome

What to Expect at Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers - Cinco Ranch, TX

At your child’s first visit, a physical therapist will assess their strength, mobility, flexibility, and age-appropriate milestone development level. They consider how easily your child can stand up and sit down, how well they walk, and complete tasks to determine if, and the extent of, any developmental delays. With injuries, the physical therapist assesses the injury, contributing factors, and how to reduce the risk of re-injury in the future.

After the initial assessment and the evaluation of the child’s needs is completed, a unique program is developed which is customized to the child’s needs. Usually, the initial assessment will include some time spent in treatment to see how the child responds. Often some pediatric physical therapy exercises disguised as play are also part of this first session. This may depend on the extent of the examination and how interested and engaged the child is in the process. 

What Happens During the Later PT Sessions?

Since children work at school and play, pediatric physical therapy sessions often look a lot like play. Colorful, specialized tools and exercise equipment are designed to develop gross motor movement skills and to make improvements in functional mobility.

You may see items in the therapy area such as:

• Various sizes of colorful therapy balls, from small (hand-sized) to very large (to sit on)
• Small trampolines ideal for jumping or hopping on, perhaps while trying to catch a ball
• Hoops that children can hop into, through, or around
• Various widths of balance beams
• Foam rollers that may be used for positioning
• Toys that provide a focal point to encourage the child to reach out or turn their head

In fact, any item that safely helps children move and function better could be used, so physical therapists have a wide selection of items in the pediatric physical therapy area.

For children with significant movement disorders that limit their ability to walk or sit, some pediatric physical therapists will recommend specialized seating options or a pediatric wheelchair for increased mobility. All our therapists work with the rest of your child’s medical team to ensure their mobility needs are met.

With more minor injuries that fully recover after specific treatment, like sprained ankles or even fractures, their physical therapy sessions look far more like typical rehab for an adult with a similar condition. The therapist works with the child on therapeutic range of motion and strengthening exercises to help improve mobility and strength in the injured areas. The treatments are more focused on the specific body part where the injury occurred. Still, additional treatments in other areas may be needed to reduce the risk of future injury. The overall goal is to help your child improve their function, strength, and mobility as they recover from the injury.

You can reduce the worry and wonder about your child’s future with a comprehensive assessment by an expert in our Pediatric Therapy Center. Our pediatric physical therapy services allow your child the best chance for recovery and successful treatment of their condition. Book an assessment with Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers in Katy, TX, today.

Pediatric Physical Therapy FAQs 

What Is Pediatric Physical Therapy?

Pediatric physical therapy uses child-friendly, hands-on manual physical therapy techniques, therapeutic exercises, functional training, and other treatments that help improve mobility, flexibility, range of motion, strength, endurance, gait, balance, and overall coordination.

What Does Physical Therapy Do in Pediatrics?

Pediatric Physical Therapy helps make everyday, normal activities easier for children with improved flexibility, range of motion, strength, and movement patterns. The aim of physical therapy in pediatrics is to help children move their bodies when and how they want to enable them to perform to the best of their ability.

Why Is Pediatric Physical Therapy Important?

Pediatric physical therapy is especially important because it helps children to develop gross motor and functional mobility skills to independently and successfully perform daily activities. As children develop these skills and greater independence, it contributes to higher self-esteem, which makes success in other endeavors even more likely.

Why Is PT Better Than OT?

Pediatric OT helps children increase independence and functionality in daily age-appropriate activities and routines. PT addresses the musculoskeletal system and the movement of the child’s body. PT helps with mobility, developing motor skills,  injury recovery, and improving orthopedic conditions. PT focuses on helping children to be as flexible, mobile and strong as possible, addressing anything that impacts movement, posture, or body alignment.

What Is Pediatric Therapy?

A Pediatric Therapy Center focuses on helping children recover after an injury or support their ability to reach developmental milestones. Pediatric Therapy often works to improve mobility and strength and relieve pain and inflammation. This is even more important in children’s lives because they are growing and developing.

What Is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?

Pediatric Occupational therapy is like adult occupational therapy that helps an adult perform better at their jobs. But of course, children don’t have jobs, so OT helps children be successful in the activities they have in their lives. For example, Pediatric Occupational Therapy helps children build skills for essential activities like writing, brushing their teeth, performing in school, socializing, and playing.

What Is the Difference Between Physical Therapy and Pediatric Physical Therapy?

Pediatric Physical Therapy (PT) is more than just about treating children. Pediatric physical therapy is unique in focusing on the whole child by addressing developmental issues or injuries that impact gross and fine motor skills, sensory integration, gait and balance, and cognitive function.