A Day In The Life

There really is no "typical" treatment session.  Sessions can include ball skills, locomotor skills, obstacle courses, organized games (sports, board games, interactive video games, etc..), and various larger equipment such as swings, scooters, bolsters, theraballs, and mats.  Basically, we try to encourage children to accomplish personally difficult goals by incorporating them into a fun activity.  We must often "think outside the box" to get a child to work on an area of difficulty without them even realizing it.  By combining curriculum specific skills, seasonal themes, and personal interests, we are often able to elicit some pretty amazing results from our friends.

 To quote the New York City Department of Education website (which is the largest school district in the entire country);

"Physical Therapy emphasizes physical function and independence in various settings including the classroom, bathroom, gym, staircase, playground and transitions between settings. Physical therapy uses manual/handling techniques, exercise and sensory processing activities to maintain, improve or restore function including gross motor development (e.g. mobility, ambulation, posture), neuromotor status (e.g. muscle tone, strength, balance, coordination), motor planning and negotiating the environment.

Physical Therapy also promotes function by adapting the environment, providing and maintaining seating, positioning, assistive technology and mobility equipment and by monitoring and managing orthoses and prostheses. Physical Therapy may be recommended for a student whose physical needs require such services and/or impede access to their educational program. These students may demonstrate skills that are below expectations commensurate with the student's total profile including cognitive development which adversely affects school performance. A physician's referral is required for a student to receive Physical Therapy services. The frequency and duration of services is determined by the IEP Team in collaboration with the evaluating therapist."