Walking involves a complicated sequence of muscles and nerves working together. Balance and gait disorders are common and can significantly affect a child’s function and independence. Many conditions can lead to walking and balance difficulties.
Each child can move through developmental stages of walking at different times: standing, holding onto objects, cruising, walking with arms out for balance, walking with a smoother pattern, and then running.
Balance and walking difficulties can be observed with running and playing, especially on unsteady surfaces such as grass. Sometimes, having a child walk or run backward, can show just what muscle motor patterns may be affected.
How pediatric therapy can help
Children who start to fall behind with walking can often have problems with coordination, balance, and strength.
Our therapists will evaluate your child’s posture, joint movement and stability, muscle strength, balance, and coordination on a variety of surfaces. Additionally, exercises and working with the family on activities to perform at home will help your child practice efficient walking for their age and development. The goal of therapy is to achieve great results for your child while making therapy a fun, playful, and engaging activity.
What to expect in therapy sessions
Therapy to address balance and gait can be a lot of fun! We do our best at Skills on the Hill to make therapy sessions entertaining and engaging for children of all ages.
Your child may utilize swings to increase core strength. They may jump on uneven surfaces to challenge their balance and postural control. They may also navigate obstacle courses to improve coordination and overall motor planning.
Your child’s therapist will suggest activities for the home such as going up and down stairs, doing yoga, or pedaling a scooter or a bike. Of course, since you’re their parent (and #1 supporter!), we’ll also be giving you instructions on how to encourage and guide their skill development in community settings. Before you both know it, your child’s progress will show!
Call our clinic today
Therapy doesn’t have to be scary or hard for your child to participate in. Trust that they are in great hands at Skills on the Hill! We want you to know that we believe parents are integral to a child’s improved function and therapeutic progress, so we’ll keep you informed every step of the way.
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