WHAT IS SCHOOL-BASED PHYSICAL THERAPY?
School-based physical therapists (PT) are part of a team of related service providers who support a student’s ability to access his/her educational environment. As specialists in movement, they assist a student’s physical participation in a variety of settings throughout the school day. The primary role of the school PT is to help students benefit from their educational program within the educational environment.
School-based physical therapy is different from medical based physical therapy and determining the need for each of these services is different. Medical based physical therapy is typically provided in an outpatient therapy clinic or hospital. These services address quality of movement as well as function. Its primary objective is to maximize the child’s skill level and quality of movement. Medically-based services are typically focused on a student’s physical impairments and clinical deficits.
Physical therapy is provided at schools when it is related to educational needs. Intervention and goals in the school setting address the child’s functional needs in accessing all areas of the school curriculum. Physical therapy interventions are designed to enable the student to travel throughout the school environment; participate in classroom activities and PE class; maintain and change positions in the classroom; as well as manage stairs, restrooms, and the cafeteria. School based therapy is not intended to meet all of the therapeutic needs of a student. It is intended to ensure that a child can have physical access to his or her education.
The main goals of school-based physical therapy are to improve strength, balance, coordination, and/or mobility. Some examples of activities that a physical therapist targets for improvement include:
If you need to contact me, you can reach me by phone or email.
Phone: 585 - 374 - 7950 (ext 6189)
Email: sstorms@naplescsd.org