Examples of Home and Community-Based Physical Therapy for Young Children

Physical therapy for a young child which takes place in the child's home should also include community outings. Therapy often focuses on helping the child participate in family routines, such as visiting the playground or grocery store.

Examples of therapy include:

• Providing guidance and training to parents on how to work with their child and to understand development
• Working on prone belly skills to enable the child to maintain position, bear weight on arms, and lift head; frequently toys will be positioned in front to engage and motivate the child
• Learning how to sit and to do activities, such as playing, while sitting; functional skills, such as sitting in a grocery cart, may be practiced in the community
• Learning how to move (rolling, crawling on belly, creeping on hands and knees, walking)
• Practicing stair climbing (up and down, outside and inside, in the home and community, such as church or library)
• Navigating the local playground and/or the swing set in the backyard (facilitating strength, balance/coordination, and motor planning)

Recommended Link:

• CAR Resource Directory (Search Within The Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy Category)