Physical Therapy for Kids with Disabilities

Increasing attention is being paid to brain problems and cures, for everything from football to soldiers. The focus is awesome, and now innovative treatments are coming to the fore that may help patients. One new method is known as NDT (Neurodevelopmental Therapy). This can be used in occupational, speech, language and physical therapies, including physical therapy for kids.

Foundationally, NDT is a way to look at issues on a very personal level. Physical therapists use hands-on techniques and the latest tools to guide patients through tasks. For instance, consider the case of a child with special needs who can't walk due to the disorder or injury might break it up into small goals. One might be lifting the feet from the footrest on a wheelchair using the patient's own strength. The pediatric physical therapist would guide the child hands-on.

NDT is patient-driven, because the kids and other patients must set goals. For children with special needs, goals may be set by the parents. For adult patients dealing with problems such as TBI and stroke, the goal could involve walking, standing and more. Some physical therapists who ise these methods say that the patient's perception of treatment makes a huge difference in their healing processes.

Besides the fact that sessions are encouraging, NDT truly is effective. Patients might need fewer supports while achieving an improvement in proper positioning. Improvement is possible in a variety of functions.

For kids with disabilities, pediatric physical therapists can use NDT to help them be less dependent. They can learn to bear their own weight, maneuver stairs, or even crawl or stand. Practitioners of this method believe that some improvement is possible for almost any patient, even those with the most serious conditions.

The scientific research about NDT isn't very exhaustive, but the topic isn't hotly contested, either. Many of the research papers were about small groups of patients, so aren't widely generalizable. However, the method seems to make sense and a growing number of pediatric physical therapists and other specialists are starting to use it.

If you're facing difficult problems with speech, eating and mobility, consider finding a autism spectrum San Diego, CA expert in your area.

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