How Does the Vestibular System Affect My Child? By Brittany deRoche, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist The vestibular system is a small group of organs located in our inner ear which is responsible for helping our body figure out where it is in space. The vestibular system detects movement (linear and angular) of…
Say Goodbye to Positioning Devices By Nicole Campbell, PT, DPT & Bobbi Michels, PT, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapists As a new parent, you will see many different positioning devices as you walk through the baby department of a store. Exersaucers, Jumperoos, Bumbo Chairs, and similar positioning devices are marketed as strengthening devices…
What is Torticollis? By Andy Albrecht, DPT Kids Place Central Clinic Manager and Pediatric Physical Therapist Torticollis is a term used to describe a tight neck muscle. Congenital Muscular Torticollis occurs when a neck muscle, often involved is the sternocleidomastoid (SCM), is tight or shortened. This presents with a position of one ear towards the…
Ask The Therapists By Kelsie Noel, DPT & Brittany deRoche, PT, DPT Kids Place Pediatric Physical Therapists Q: My child is walking on her toe, should I receive therapy? The concern is not whether you child is toe walking, but whether your child toe walks more than 50% of the time. Toe walking is a…
Couch Potato Children – Tips to Get Them to be Physically and Mentally Active By Bobbi Michels, DPT Kids Place West Physical Therapist It’s a Saturday morning, and already we can hear the kids: “Mom, it’s my turn to play on the computer!” “Can I watch T.V?” “No, I want to play an X-box game!”…
The Benefits of Co-Treating By Amanda Bruce, MS, OTR/L and Stacy Taylor, MS, CCC-SLP Kids Place Pediatric Therapists Many parents new to pediatric therapy are unfamiliar with the term “co-treat.” Short for co-treatment, this refers to two different therapy disciplines working with one child at the same time. For example, your child may receive treatment…
The Benefits of Crawling (Before Walking) By Nikki Robinett, PT, DPT and Amanda Bruce, OTR/L AZOPT Kids Place Central Therapists In the ever changing world of pediatrics, where new evidence and opinions are constantly telling us what our children should (or should not) be doing, parents can be understandably confused. One recent discussion revolves around…
Animal Walking: Building Strength, Balance, and Coordination By Nicole Campbell, PT, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Gross motor skills are an important aspect of child development. When participating in gross motor activities, children are able to release their energy in addition to building strength. A fun and easy way to incorporate gross motor…
Springtime Gross Motor Activities for Children By Nikki Robinett, DPT Kids Place Pediatric Physical Therapist That perfect time of year for us Phoenicians is just about upon us. The daytime temperatures are perfect! Nighttime isn’t too cold. We can finally enjoy some fresh air without sitting in shade. Let’s use this time to encourage our…
