Previous physical therapy blogs have explained outcome measurements used to assess gross motor development in infants and children up to age 5, including the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale, second edition and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. When children age out of either the PDMS-2 or the AIMS, one standardized assessment option physical therapists have is […]
In our blog on Signs of Concussion in Youth Athletes, it became evident that a concussion can result in a wide variety of negative signs and symptoms. Following such an injury, many young athletes are eager to return to their sport. However, complete physical and mental rest are the best things to help […]
Dance has always been a fun and exciting recreational activity for children of all ages. Along with the enjoyment of dancing to upbeat music and the social experience, dance is also a great way to help develop your child’s gross motor skills. Read on for 4 aspects of your child’s motor skills that can be […]
Swimming was always one of my favorite activities as a child, which is why so many of my childhood memories from my summers off of school take place at the neighborhood pool or at one of Chicago’s beautiful beaches. Aside from the fact that spending a day at the pool is a fun way to […]
Some children may walk on their toes nearly 100% for no apparent reason. This is known as idiopathic (the reason for it is unknown) toe walking. Idiopathic toe walking may result in muscle shortening in the calf muscles. In turn, it will continue to promote toe walking. Many cases of toe walking require intervention from […]
The thought of your child going up and down a flight of stairs independently may be quite a very alarming thought, especially for parents of new walkers; however, learning to negotiate the stairs is an important part in your child’s strength and motor development. Below is a guideline of ages at which your child should […]
There are a number of reflexes that your infant will exhibit. Some children develop reflexes during gestation and they go away shortly after birth. Other children may not develop until later in their life and the reflexes may remain forever. Reflexes that do not develop on time or reflexes that do not integrate (go away) […]
It is often that parents ask me for recommendations for suitable physical extracurricular activities for their children that will also help to facilitate the gross motor skills we work on in therapy. Extracurricular activities are a great way for your child to socialize with his or her peers and physical activities are the perfect way […]
>We’ve all heard it before. You should be exercising at least 5 times each week for at least 30-60 minutes. We all know that exercise is beneficial for your heart, but why exactly is exercise so good for the body and why is it crucial to exercise so frequently? The list of answers to these […]
Balance, like many things, will only get better with practice and through challenging the balance systems. However, it can be hard to find time after school to work on balance activities when kids already have mountains of homework to keep up with. It can also be difficult to make balance exercises fun and enjoyable for […]