We all want our kids to do well in school. It’s a time of learning, growth, and a myriad of opportunities.
When a child isn’t thriving or performing as well as we hope they might, there could be different reasons for this.
For example, there may be an undiagnosed condition that is preventing your child from trying certain activities, or from feeling equipped to complete a task to their satisfaction.
Sometimes, whatever is impeding your child from trying or doing their best is a minor aspect that can be diagnosed and addressed through pediatric therapy services.
In today’s blog, you will learn more about what pediatric therapy is and how it can help improve your child’s performance in school.
What Is Pediatric Therapy?
This branch of health and wellness refers to using everything at our physical and occupational therapy disposal to help a child overcome certain limitations that may be holding them back in school. It’s about improving quality of life as well as boosting confidence so that certain tasks or activities don’t seem as daunting as they currently are for a child.
One of the great things about pediatric therapy services is that they can be tailored to each child’s specific needs. Both physical therapy and occupational therapy offer a broad range of therapies and exercises designed to help an individual improve in a particular area, so the therapist has many different approaches to choose from to address an issue and achieve the desired outcome.
The issue that needs to be pinpointed and resolved could be the result of one or more of a range of possibilities. Here are some areas that your pediatric therapy services provider can explore:
- Are there any developmental delays present due to a condition the child was born with?
- Is there a recent or old injury in the child’s health history that may still be creating challenges?
- Are any musculoskeletal impairments present that may have been undetected but that are making certain tasks more difficult for the child to master?
- Does the child need to relearn to do certain tasks that they may have learned, picked up, or taught themselves to do incorrectly?
These are just some of the many cases that can be holding a child back. The good news is that through pediatric therapy, vast improvements can typically be achieved.
What Improvements Can Be Seen?
Of course, it depends on your child, the specific challenges they’re facing, and the frequency and length of therapy. In most cases, improvements CAN be seen, helping your child to overcome challenges and thrive both at school and at home.
These are some of the improvements that may be observed through pediatric therapy services:
- Improved function in areas they were previously struggling with
- Greater participation in activities at school, at home, and elsewhere
- A measure of growth and development seen in areas that were previously more problematic
- An overall improvement in mood
- More positive dialogue from your child about school and related activities
Many other improvements can be observed. The bottom line is that pediatric therapy can help your child function better, perform better at school and during after-school activities, get better grades, feel better about school, and seem less stressed and happier overall.
The Best Part Is The Play-based Approach!
As far as your child is concerned, the best part about pediatric therapy is that it won’t feel like work. That’s because pediatric therapy services incorporate what kids do best (namely, play!) to achieve the desired results.
Pretty much every kid loves to play. At Colorado In Motion, our specialists in pediatric physical and occupational therapy know this and make sure to make use of a play-based approach when working with children. In addition to adopting a positive, encouraging demeanor, our therapists find out what each child enjoys doing and then incorporates this form of play into the exercises and workouts that are prescribed.
More About Pediatric Therapy
Here are some other things that you, the parent or other primary caregiver, needs to know about the value of pediatric therapy, in general and in terms of improving performance at school:
- While in some cases, medication and procedures may be involved with helping your child, pediatric therapy services themselves are noninvasive and achieve results through targeted exercises over time.
- The therapist will work with your child and observe whether or not they’re performing the therapeutic tasks effectively and can gently correct your child for best results.
- A therapist will talk with you about what play-based exercises need to be done at home for continued improvements to take place.
- You are welcome to ask questions to better understand how to help your child at home and what improvements to watch for.
- A positive, cheerful attitude goes a long way, both from the therapist and the child’s family members.
- Every child is different; improvements will be seen, but don’t expect the situation to remedy itself overnight! Time is always part of the equation when it comes to pediatric therapy services.
If ever you don’t understand what the goal is, or if you aren’t sure if an exercise or task is being done correctly, check with your child’s therapist. Be sure to encourage your child and maintain a relaxed, stress-free demeanor to help your child go the distance and achieve the desired results that will help them in the long run. At the same time, don’t push too hard. Celebrate every effort and trust that, little by little, improvement is being made!
More About Pediatric Physical Therapy
How can physical therapy help your child do better in school?
When your child’s physical abilities are addressed, your child can perform better in the following ways:
- Better hand-eye coordination
- Ability to participate in sports or any activities that involve movement
- Improvements in everything from pencil grip to being able to use scissors, create art, do crafts, build with blocks that snap together, and more
- Play an instrument or master the skills needed for any other musical pursuits
- Feel confident about joining other kids on the playground or in group activities
Of course, this is just a partial list. You may see improvements in so many other areas. Pediatric physical therapy focuses on one-on-one, specialized care that maximizes the young patient’s ability to function. The work is real, and the play-based approach makes it fun for children.
More About Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Sometimes a physical therapist works together with an occupational therapist to help a child; in other cases, only one or the other is needed.
If a pediatric occupational therapist is involved, these are some of the areas that might be addressed:
- Anything that’s related to your child’s “work,” which essentially is schoolwork
- Areas your child struggles with at home, whether it’s brushing teeth, climbing stairs, or putting on socks, for example
- Slower development compared to most peers, which may be the result of motor or physical challenges
- Helping a child relearn tasks that may have become difficult due to emotional behavioral, or sensory challenges
- Learn how to compensate for any learning or behavioral disabilities to achieve a satisfactory desired outcome
There may be some overlap in what an occupational therapist and a physical therapist does. Both will work to help your child improve in the areas where they may be struggling, helping them to reach a level of achievement that will help them in school and other areas of life.
To Learn More
Is your child facing challenges in school or at home? Would you like to find non-invasive ways to help them improve in school performance, increase in confidence, and achieve more of what they attempt? Pediatric therapy services may be an area for you to explore!
Here at Colorado In Motion, one of our specialties is pediatric therapy. Our physical and occupational therapists are skilled in the latest techniques that work with kids to create real, lasting results and help them have fun with it! Our play-based approach provides solutions while keeping kids entertained and confident in their abilities. To learn more, contact Colorado In Motion today!