Developing a sense of enjoyment for physical activity and ideal movement patterns in the early years is imperative to building healthy habits for life. As children mature, it is important to be engaged in a wide variety of physical activities in order to develop balanced movement patterns, and to prevent impairments due to over or under activity.
Physical activity plays a key role in many aspects of a child’s development, including:
- Physical Fitness
- Social and Group Skills
- Self Confidence
- Healthy Bone/Muscle Development
- Maintenance of Healthy Body Weight
- Contribution to God Sleep Patterns
- Focus for Learning
- Positive Outlook
Early identification of any limitation to a child’s physical output is vital to assisting each child in maintaining healthy lifestyles. Some obstacles are easily identified, such as a neurological disorder or a sports injury, and others may be more difficult to clearly identify, such as decreased co-ordination. In all cases, it is important to provide a child and family with strategies and resources to maximize physical activity to promote a child’s healthy growth and development.
Physiotherapy is an effective, evidence based option to help children maintain, enhance, or restore movements and physical function. Physiotherapy can help children to improve:
- Gross Motor Skills
- Strength
- Flexibility/Range of Motion
- Balance and Co-ordination
- Posture and Joint Alignment
- Motor Planning
- Cardiovascular Status and Endurance
- Respiratory Function
- Confidence in Physical Skills
- Physical Activity/Sports
An infant/pediatric physiotherapy is comprehensive and is specific to the age of the child. In addition to specific physical components, numerous other factors are considered, including a child’s developmental stage, interests, participation level, lifestyle and family dynamics.
Determining specific goals and customizing therapy plan for each child is more effective and result oriented.
The Key To Physiotherapy For Kids Should Be – FUN! Therapy should be evidence based and family centered. But after therapy Kids will say – “Therapy was Fun”.
Providing children with an engaging and age-appropriate environment, with professionals trained in pediatrics, will improve children’s enjoyment and long term outcome.
Our ultimate goal should be enhancing each child’s long term physical abilities, confidence and freedom of movement.