4 ways a pediatric physical therapist can help your baby
There are many reasons why a physical therapist should see an infant before they are even 2 years old (not just for breaking an arm or leg!) Keep reading below to find out why your baby should see a pediatric physical therapist.
written by Amy Tamos PT, DPT
1. If your baby has a preference to hold its head in one position
Oftentimes, infants will have a preference to look to one direction and sometimes tip his/her head the opposite direction of the turn. This issue can interfere with overall and/or symmetrical gross and fine motor development.
For example, if a baby has a preference to look to its right, they may not be able to push up symmetrically in tummy time. A pediatric physical therapist can assist with this. The earlier that this is noted and therapy is initiated the less time that baby will need care and the better for overall outcomes.
As a new parent it may be hard to notice these things and that is okay. Anytime you think that you see something, bring it up to the babyâs provider. If you do notice this issue there are many suggestions that a pediatric PT can provide to you.
Many infants have a flat spot on the back of the head. This can be from in utero position, but can be worsened if there is a preference to still hold the head in a certain position. Another great reason to seek out pediatric physical therapist.
2. If there is decreased tummy time tolerance
I am here to validate that tummy time can cause stress to a new family. A pediatric physical therapist can help to increase the time that a baby is able to tolerate per day along with assessing and treating any other reasons that tummy time may be extremely challenging.
A PT will be able to provide many suggestions on how to help your baby use this position to help other skills emerge. Tummy time is an important position for all infants for overall skill acquisition.
How long should your baby do tummy time? My recommendation for tummy time is as follows: a 2 month old should do 20 minutes total per day, 3 month old should do 30 minutes, etc. In the early months it may be more challenging as the wake windows are shorter and feeding may take longer, but try to be consistent.
3. If your baby has delayed gross motor skills
There is a typical age for skill acquisition for infants. Each baby does develop at different rates, but if you or your pediatrician feels that the baby is not meeting skills in a timely fashion, pediatric PT can help immensely.
Are there any specific gross motor skill milestones you should be aware of in the first year? It’s important to not be concerned when reviewing these suggestions as a parent. This is what a pediatric physical therapist can help your baby with or improve their quality or form. Below are the things I look for as a specialist:
- 4 months: improving tummy time
- 5 months: pushing onto straight arms when on the tummy and tripod sitting
- 6 months: sitting without assistance and rolling from back to belly
- 7 months: protecting themselves from tipping over to the side along with increasing rotation of the body
- 8 months: may be able to stay on hands and knees when placed, might have been able to transition from back to sitting
- 9 months: potential to start crawling, but should be working on transitional movements from one position to another
- 10 months: hands and knees crawling
**In general, I like a baby to crawl before they turn one and then be able to walk by 15 month.
4. If your baby has skipped or is having trouble with learning to crawl or may even be scooting on his/her bottom
Hands and knees crawling is an extremely important gross motor skill. A baby that either skips crawling or prefers to move forward on his/her bottom oftentimes has weakness in the core and/or hip muscles.
A Pediatric PT can help the baby meet this important skill. Even if your child is older, but you do know that crawling was either skipped all together or performed in a different pattern this is something that would be important to bring up to a PT. The therapist is a great resource in regards to movement patterns.
Getting care for your infant can seem scary and daunting, but I guarantee that the earlier that intervention is started the less time that your baby will need care.
My name is Amy Tamos PT, DPT and I am the provider at Full Circle Physical Therapy in Clarendon Hills, IL. Please feel free to call or email me with any questions or concerns that you may have. I look forward to helping many families in the future. Fullcirclephysicaltherapy.net
Other helpful blog posts:
- 5 tips for preparing your child for the doctor
- 3 ways a pediatric chiropractor can help your newborn
- Dental tips for babies, toddlers + kids
- Hip dysplasia care and tips
**This post is educational and not meant to take the place of your provider.