Physical therapists use play to help your child move safely at their home, school and in the community. We strive to increase participation, enhance learning opportunities, support the development of gross motor skills and facilitate independence in activities of daily living. We emphasize a multi-disciplinary team approach when working with children. We address:
- Age appropriate gross motor skills: rolling, sitting up, walking, running, jumping, ball skills, one foot balance, etc…
- Safety: catching oneself with loss of balance, climb playground equipment, move in and around obstacles and make adjustments for unpredictable circumstances
- Development of Motor Movement Patterns: rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, posture…
- Motor planning skills: Navigating of complex spaces, sequencing steps, executing plans
- Adaptive Equipment: Assess and recommend/obtain adaptive equipment to increase participation
- Strength and Endurance: improving muscle strength and length of time the child is able to participate in an activity
Your child will need a physical therapy evaluation to determine if s/he qualifies for services.
How to obtain an evaluation:
- Contact your local Health Department (Early Intervention) for children younger than 3 years of age
- Contact your local school district for children 3 years and older.
The Role of Physical Therapy in Schools
Motor development provides the foundation for further development in many educational areas. By addressing motor limitations, students may more easily access their curriculum physically, more closely interact with peers during recreational times, and more independently perform activities of daily living throughout the school day. With extensive nuero-rehabilitative training, Physical Therapists ensure that students with significant physical impairments are physically able to access and participate in their educational program to their maximal capabilities.
Racker Physical Therapists are adept at responding to the individual needs of the students and staff in the school district they serve by:
- Developing treatment plans to improve a student’s strength, balance, coordination, motor planningand flexibility to maximize each student’s participation.
- Collaborating with educational team members to adapt curriculum with motor components so that students with physical impairments may participate fully in educational programming, to the benefit of all students.
- Assisting in the formation of individual educational plans for students with motor impairments.
- Assessing supportive equipment that may be necessary to optimize a student’s independence and to promote the overall health of the student.
- Providing direct training to individual students and school team members regarding transfers, mobilityand wheelchair/equipment management.
- Interacting closely with school transportation departments to develop individual transportation plans.As appropriate, a Physical Therapist may also participate as a member of the school team in building and school bus evacuation trainings.
- Addressing the accessibility needs of students to reduce and eliminate current and future physical barriers with consideration to pending building modifications.
- Offering education and strategies to school staff regarding how movement improves a student’s capability to learn.
- Providing healthy ergonomic recommendations and training to students and school personnel.
- Forming long term working relationships with families, equipment vendors and the medical community.
- Supporting the implementation of school wide health and wellness initiatives.
Through direct service provision and collaboration with others on the school team, Racker Physical Therapists provide a unique, holistic approach to meet the needs of students with physical impairments. As experts in motor development and movement, Racker Physical Therapists are in a position to support the educational programs and wellness of all students.