Ask the Therapist: Shoes or No Shoes? by Brittany Ricciardi, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Is it better for my child to walk with shoes or barefoot? When should my child start wearing shoes? What shoes are best for my child to wear? These are all questions we often receive from new parents.…
Ask a PT: “What Sport Should my Child Play?” by Nicole Campbell, PT, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Often, as pediatric physical therapists, we are asked which sport we recommend. The answer is simply – ANY! Every sport has benefits, some different than others. Swimming is a low impact sport that improves strength,…
Play Ball – Using a Therapy Ball Therapeutically by Andy Albrecht, DPT, PCS Kids Place Central Clinic Manager Of the many pieces of equipment used on a daily basis as a pediatric physical therapist, one of my absolute favorites is the therapy ball. Not only is the ball fun and exciting for kiddos to use,…
Outpatient Occupational Therapy vs. School-Based Occupational Therapy By Jeanette Mangano, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist As children are preparing for the start of a new school year, parents often ask about the difference between school-based occupational therapy and Kids Place, an outpatient occupational therapy clinic. The answer can be somewhat confusing. The Role…
Torticollis, literally translating to ‘wry neck,’ is a condition in which a child’s neck is typically flexed or bent in one direction and rotated in the other direction. This is due to a muscle in the neck, called the sternocleidomastoid, which has become shortened, strained, or weakened. This results in an abnormal posture of the…
Adaptive Sports for Children with Disabilities By Khristian Morrell, Student Physical Therapist Obesity across our nation has become an alarming health risk over the past generation. Unfortunately, individuals with disabilities are at a particularly higher risk for this, as they are less likely to participate in organized sports and activities. In addition to decreased participation,…
The Importance of Playground Play by Jeanette Mangano, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist The playground is an exciting place for most children that is crucial to the development of social, fine motor, and gross motor skills. In addition to promoting an active lifestyle, children will also learn and develop many skills needed to…
Is My Child Healthy? By Kelsie Noel, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist America has a growing problem of young children becoming overweight and obese. Recent statistics have placed Arizona as having the fourth highest obesity rate in the country. In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were diagnosed as overweight…
Save the Spiders Game by Nicole Campbell, PT, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Want a fun, balance activity for the fall season? Create a spider web on the ground using tape and place plastic spiders around the edge of the web. Have your child pretend they are the parent spider and they must…
Using the Hula Hoop for Indoor Activities By Teri Roberts, DPT, PCS AZOPT Kids Place Owner and Pediatric Physical Therapist As a pediatric physical therapist, I am always looking for inexpensive and fun, yet safe activities to perform indoors. One that I would like to share is playing with a basic hula-hoop. Of course, your 2-5…
