Pediatric Physical Therapy
At Children’s, pediatric physical therapists (PTs) are experts in evaluating and treating children who have difficulties moving their bodies. They achieve this by correcting or improving motor impairments, providing resources for missing skills and building on existing abilities. Pediatric physical therapy promotes independence, increases participation, facilitates motor development and function, improves strength and endurance, enhances learning opportunities, and eases challenges with daily care giving.
Physical therapists evaluate and treat children with a wide range of diagnoses, including:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Cancer
- Cerebral palsy
- Chronic pain
- Concussion
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Developmental Coordination Disorder
- Developmental delay
- Genomic medicine
- Hemophilia
- Juvenile arthritis
- Orthopedic injuries or conditions
- Pediatric obesity
- Plagiocephaly
- Stroke
- Toe Walking
- Torticollis
- Traumatic brain injury
When is a physical therapy evaluation recommended?
Talk with your physician about a PT evaluation to address your concerns. A referral can be initiated by parent/caregiver or a physician clinic by calling any of our sites. A PT will complete your child’s evaluation. They will identify area(s) of deficits or/and delays to create an individual treatment plan and goals.
At Children’s, we believe that the family is closely involved with the child’s therapy. We value your input and participation to help develop and carry out the therapy plan. Discussion of progress, recommendations and home programming will be provided to ensure maximum benefit from physical therapy.
Talk to your physician about a PT evaluation of you have concerns about your child’s:
- Coordination
- Balance
- Strength and endurance
- Joint motion or protection
- Movement and mobility
- Orthotic and prosthetic use
- Walking
- Posture and positioning
- Pain Management
- Adaptive equipment
- Physical participation daily activities in home/community
- Developmental milestones
- Infant head shape
- Dizziness
Physical therapy specialty services / programs
The Children’s physical therapists are proud to offer the following programs and services:
- Serial casting
- Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy
- Aquatic Therapy
- In-patient services provided in: PICU, Cardiac, Hematology/Oncology and Med-Surgical Units of the hospitals
- Pets Assisting With Healing (PAWH)
Physical therapy team evaluations
The physical therapists at Children’s Minnesota are part of the following multidisciplinary teams:
- Pain Clinic
- Hemophilia Clinic
- Sports Medicine Clinic
- Concussion Clinic
- Plagiocephaly Clinic
- NICU follow-up clinic
- Neuro-oncology clinic
Physical therapy developmental milestones
Get information about physical therapy milestones, called gross motor skills, and activities for promoting developmental skills.
