Is Physical Therapy Right for your Infant?
Oftentimes when people think of physical therapy they think of sports injuries, post surgical, or just general pain, but did you know that physical therapy can be beneficial for your infant as well?
In fact, physical therapy can help infants with a wide range of conditions, from torticollis and plagiocephaly and developmental delays. In this article, we’ll explore four ways that physical therapy can help your infant, improving their motor development, treating conditions like torticollis and plagiocephaly, and providing support for developmental delays.
1. Torticollis by definition is a condition causing asymmetrical head or neck position due to a tightness in the neck muscles in infants.
This is often seen by a slight tilt of the head or an infant favoring looking to one side versus the other. While torticollis isn’t a cause for major concern, it can lead to difficulties in feeding and eventually rolling. During physical therapy for torticollis we will work with the parents to teach them stretches to do with their babies, as well as positioning techniques to prevent the baby from going into their preferred resting position.
2. Developmental delays can be seen at many different stages in infancy.
The delays could be in rolling, crawling, sitting, or even walking. During physical therapy for delays we work with the parents to show them positioning and techniques to do with their child to allow them to strengthen the muscles that are needed for their delayed movement.
3. Treat plagiocephaly: Plagiocephaly is a condition that causes a flat spot on an infant’s head.
Physical therapy can help treat plagiocephaly by teaching parents how to position their baby’s head during sleep and playtime. Physical therapists can also recommend exercises to strengthen neck muscles to encourage proper head and neck alignment.
4. Improve motor development: Physical therapy can help infants who are struggling to develop their motor skills.
A physical therapist can work with your infant to help them learn to roll over, crawl, and walk. By teaching them these skills, physical therapy can help them develop strong muscles, coordination, and balance.
We are here to help answer your questions about Physical Therapy for your infant!
No matter what your infant is experiencing, we would love to help! You can do this by calling us at 785-749-1300 or by requesting an appointment online.