Why Pediatric Therapy Services are Vital for Your Child’s Development

Pediatric therapy uses a scientific approach to focus on your child’s development and ongoing success. The treatment and strategies used can vary depending on the unique challenges presented and are positioned to give your child the best outcome. You should consider different factors when discovering you need help with your child. Children of differing ages may need different pediatric development therapies, and depending on the diagnosis, your contribution as a parent could be vital.

Importance of Pediatric Therapy Services

It’s natural to find it challenging to navigate the different forms of therapy and which to choose for your child. It’s not advisable to view the different pediatric services as separate entities. However, various pediatric treatments are designed to address your child’s unique challenges.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy may be appropriate when you notice your child has trouble interacting with other children or needs help completing their daily tasks independently. Occupational therapists are equipped to help your child with their emotional, mental and physical development. Your child’s day-to-day life may be affected by muscular and sensory inhibitions. This therapy could help your child gain more independence by fine-tuning their sensory and visual motor skills.

Occupational pediatric therapy services are designed to assist your child with everyday skills:

• Your child can improve with basic tasks, such as brushing their teeth, getting dressed, bathing and eating independently.
• Occupational therapy may help maintain positive social behavior and coping mechanisms, such as anger control by not hitting or having a temper.
• Your child’s hand and eye coordination skills could improve, allowing them to play ball freely at school and with you. Copying from the board in class may become easier as well.
• Occupational therapy may assist in your child’s social and attention skills to develop friendships and interpersonal relationships with others.
• Your child’s handwriting and grip could improve, enabling them to grasp toys easily.

Pediatric Speech and Language Therapy

If your child has a speech impediment, such as a stutter or struggling to pronounce words, a speech pathologist may be of help. Signs that your child needs a speech therapist include being unable to understand directions or questions, not communicating at an age-appropriate level and learning problems. This highlights the importance of pediatric therapy services.

What Is Pediatric Speech and Language Therapy?

Speech-language therapy affords children the chance to improve their verbal and non-verbal communication. It could help them articulate certain social cues, such as non-verbal gestures and expressive communication.

Speech pathologists may help your child foster better communication skills:

• There’s a greater chance that your child’s interaction with peers may be more relaxed as their relations with others will be more socially appropriate.
• Speech therapy could help your child express their needs and wants in various ways.
• There’s an improved chance your child will understand the verbal language used by you, their peers and teachers, thanks to pediatric developmental therapy.
• Your child’s speech therapist can work with your child to help them with their swallowing and feeding abilities.

Pediatric Physical Therapy

Physical therapy focuses on the body. It may be beneficial if your child has undergone any surgery, suffered an injury or have a congenital delay or condition that prevents them from utilizing their lower body to the fullest.

Physical pediatric therapy incorporates therapeutic services that may foster balance and coordination, walking and improving overall mobility. Pain relief is also a target of this therapy, and your therapist understands that the most vital goal is to let your child have the freedom to play as comfortably as they can.

Your child’s physical therapist may work with you to set goals when working with your child. These goals aim for overall flexibility.

• Posture: This can help to align your child’s spine to their body so they have the chance to stand as straight as possible, reducing stress on their spine.
• Balance: Your child may gain better balance, and their therapist could help in coordination and fall prevention.
• Joint motion: Physical pediatric therapy can aid in better joint movement so your child has the opportunity to work toward a stronger fist and a better grip.
• Automatic reflexes: Seen in infants, an automatic reflex is when your child can pull their finger back after being startled by heat, for example.
• Muscle tone: Your child’s muscle strength and tone could improve significantly.

Pediatric Behavior Therapy

Much like our minds and emotions can be a vast and complicated area, so too are the therapies used to treat mental and emotional disruptions.

Child behavior therapy encourages positive behavior from children and their families and aims to remove undesirable behavioral traits. If your child is a toddler, your therapist may actively involve you in your child’s treatment. If your child is a teenager, they may work with your child one-on-one.

Different pediatric therapy services help children of different ages and with varying behavioral challenges.

Pediatric Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy

ABA therapy is a play-based treatment method that focuses on improving various social and cognitive skills, such as reading, communication, social interactions, independence and daily living skills. By using play as a form of therapy, your child can be uninhibited to display any learning troubles and can successfully articulate more complex issues. This form of treatment is best suited to families with children who have autism but can also be suitable for children with Down Syndrome, developmental delay and more.

ABA therapy may assist with:

1. Getting parents involved with the treatment of their children.
2. Helping children make more connections with those around them, encouraging them to reach their full potential.
3. The independent functioning of your child, so that they can be prepared for the real world.
4. Showing your child they can be independent by using direct instructions to help your child problem solve.
5. Helping your child make new friends by giving them the skills necessary to communicate effectively with others.
6. Preparing your child to perform daily tasks on their own, like getting dressed, brushing their teeth, using the bathroom and playing with others.
7. Helping your child regulate their emotions, to encourage healthy ways of self-expression. This teaches your child interpersonal skills and how to relate to others.

Child Behavior Therapy

This treatment may work well for children and families with various disruptive behavior disorders. As a parent, your participation in your child’s treatment is encouraged. Child behavior therapy can reduce symptoms of challenging behaviors, allowing you and your child to have better bonding time.

Quality Pediatric Developmental Therapy With Kids SPOT

Your child’s journey through life is both colorful and challenging, and you want to support them every step of the way. At Kids SPOT, your child has the opportunity to get the pediatric treatment that fits them best, giving you peace of mind. Contact us by filling out our online form and start focusing on your journey together.

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