10 Fun Summer Activities to Promote Child Development As summer rolls around, finding engaging activities to keep your kids busy and entertained can feel daunting. Luckily, there are countless summer activities you can do at home that are both fun and support important developmental skills. Below are ten therapist-approved ideas that promote child development in…
Making Slime Improves Child Development – Easy DIY Recipe & Benefits Making slime with your child is a fun activity targeting fine motor skills, direction following, sequencing, tactile processing, and emotional regulation. Slime offers a sensory experience while also working on various skill areas that are important for your child’s overall development. Why Slime Supports…
Ice vs. Heat: Which Therapy Should You Use for Pain Relief? Whether to use ice or heat for pain depends on your injury type, stage of recovery, and symptoms. While ice is known to reduce inflammation, swelling, and bruising, heat is best known for increasing blood flow and relaxing muscles. A general rule of thumb—use ice for…
The Importance of Errors in Learning: A Pediatric Physical Therapist’s Perspective As a pediatric physical therapist, I often encourage children and their families to embrace mistakes as part of the learning process. In a world that often prioritizes perfection and immediate success, it can be difficult for both parents and children to understand that errors…
Understanding Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS), often referred to as “runner’s knee,” is a common condition characterized by pain in the front of the knee, around or behind the patella (kneecap). It affects people of all ages and activity levels, but it is particularly prevalent among athletes, especially those…
What is Pediatric Speech Therapy? Pediatric speech therapy focuses on evaluating and treating children with communication challenges, including speech, language, social communication, and feeding/swallowing disorders. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with children from infancy through adolescence, addressing issues such as delayed speech, articulation disorders, stuttering, voice disorders, and difficulties with understanding or using language. Additionally, SLPs…
Aquatic Therapy in Arizona for Knee Osteoarthritis Relief Are you or a loved one struggling with knee osteoarthritis (OA)? While OA is a progressive, irreversible condition that may eventually require surgery, starting physical therapy early—especially aquatic therapy in Arizona—can significantly delay the need for surgical intervention and improve quality of life. Why Physical Therapy for…
Speech Therapy in Arizona: When to Seek Help for Your Child As a parent, you’re constantly monitoring your child’s developmental milestones—walking, talking, feeding, and more. Your child is learning new things every day! But sometimes, development doesn’t follow the expected path. If you’re wondering whether your child’s speech or language development is on track, you…
5 Benefits of Strength Training to Prevent Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become fragile and brittle, making them more susceptible to fractures—especially in the spine, hips, and wrists. This condition is a major health concern for postmenopausal women, largely due to decreased estrogen levels after menopause. One of the most…
Speech versus Language: Understanding the Key Differences When we think of communication, we often use the terms “speech” and “language” interchangeably. However, these are different areas of development. Speech refers to the physical production of sounds. It involves: Articulation: The clear and accurate production of speech sounds. This includes the movements of the lips, tongue,…
