Physiotherapy
What Is Pediatric Physiotherapy?
Pediatric physiotherapists specialize in children's motor development. They ensure that children smoothly develop gross motor skills, such as crawling, walking and running, without compensations, delays or asymmetries. Gross motor skills can be broadly defined as the full range of motion of the arms, legs, trunk muscles or entire body. A comprehensive physiotherapy examination will assess the integrity of the child's muscles and bones and identify any signs or symptoms that indicate a motor developmental disorder.
Skills Acquired
Pediatric physiotherapist contributes to the treatment of the child presenting:
Torticollis and plagiocephaly
Muscle hypotonia and hypertonia
Neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy
Genetic diseases
Neuromuscular diseases
Difficulties with coordination and balance
Difficulties related to gait deformation
Other unspecified motor developmental delays
Pediatric physical therapy
Pediatric physical therapists are often challenged by situations in which children have difficulties representing variations in common events of gross motor development.
There are various approaches to treating a child with motor delays. One of these approaches that we use at Yaldei is called Cuevas Medek Exercises (CME), created by Ramon Cuevas. The starting premise of CME is that the child's antigravity motor functions are triggered from birth and peak around 14 months of age with independent walking. Thus, CME works from the premise that the brain's recovery potential can produce better responses if the child is progressively exposed to motor and postural stimuli.
The main objective of CME is therefore to provoke the production of new functional reactions by the central nervous system related to antigravity postural control, gradually proposing the reduction of the necessary external support towards the least invasive form of support or the eventual complete withdrawal of support.
In addition to holding multiple levels of certification from Cuevas Medek, our physiotherapists have also received training in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) and yoga for children with special needs.
Through the reinforcement of physical activity and play, the pediatric physiotherapist encourages the child to reach important milestones, but also to acquire greater independence so that he can develop at home, at school and in his community.