Physical Therapy may be an option for children with developmental difficulties, ASD, traumatic brain injury, and other concerns impacting development. The area of concern/ delay may be underdeveloped musculature and neuroanatomy, delayed motor control, weak muscle tone and impaired breathing control. These areas of physical delay limit functional development.

Both young and older children, teens and adults can benefit from a carefully designed exercise program provided by a physical therapist.

As with other therapies, goals for physical therapy are determined on an individual basis with input from parents, physicians and other members of the treatment team.

A physical therapist can help a child with developmental difficulties learn a variety of age-appropriate motor skills, from throwing, catching and kicking a ball to jumping, hopping, riding a bike and other less playful physical therapies such as:

– Treating impairments in systems that affect motor function, such as problems with breath control and coordination;
– Improvement of posture;
– Treatment of musculoskeletal system, such as chest wall deformities, foot and ankle misalignments;
– Developing fitness programs for older children with autism, such as yoga classes for autistic children.