You’ve probably envisioned how life will be with your child as they grow up. You think about all the milestone moments you don’t want to miss as your infant develops, like when they give you their first smile, start waving their arms demanding your attention, and especially when they take their first step.
When a child reaches each of these milestones doesn’t depend on how many months of age they reach. Each child develops at their own pace, so when an infant or toddler learns a given skill can’t be determined with a general rule.
There are various conditions that your child can be born with or develop that could impact when they reach these developmental milestones. When your child experiences difficulties with cognitive development and motor skills, this might cause worry. Alternatively, when parents notice issues with motor development, they might be inclined to think: won’t my child just “grow out of it?”
While both of these reactions are normal, there are risks associated with not getting your child checked out on time.
The risk of your child not being seen by a physical therapist when there is a concern depends on the concern that you have. The risks can include:
There are a couple of things that could indicate that pediatric physical therapy exercises could be the solution.
Gross motor skills are movements that involve large muscle groups such as the arms, legs, and torso. An example of gross motor delay could be if your child is not yet walking when their peers are. Physical and occupational therapy could help decrease frustration for the child and family when provided with techniques to practice at home.
The physical therapist can determine if the delay is stemming from weakness, laxity, or another cause. Sometimes when your child has laxity they may be compensating in their movement patterns which can limit them later on in life, this can be identified by a physical therapist.
If your child is walking differently than other children and they are tripping or falling more, this can cause issues for them later on in life. Sometimes when a child walks with toes facing inward or outward or walks on their toes, this may be due to muscle tightness or weakness, which can progress to affecting other areas of their body, such as their knees, hips, or back.
Typically the longer a child demonstrates walking in a certain way, the longer it will take to correct this positioning, due to muscle tightness that develops, this is why it is important to be seen early on when a concern arises.
There are at least four different development milestones that your child should cross within their first 12 months. A pediatric physical therapist will be able to better monitor your child’s growth and development if you notice that their movement or behavior isn’t where you think it should be.
Carolina Pediatric Therapy provides comprehensive rehabilitation services for children of all ages, from Birth through 21 years of age. Schedule your infant, child, and teen for an evaluation today and see how a therapist can help your family.
Call (828) 845 4066 or click on the “Schedule” button.
