As a physical therapist, I often give parents strategies to work on at home with their child. The tips below have been proven effective in helping children continue to develop appropriately. These are testimonials from parents who have tried these tips and saw positive outcomes.
My son’s physical therapist, Ellie, suggested picking the toys up off the floor and raising them on a higher surface like a stool or low bookshelf. This helped my son learn to crawl so he would push up on his hands and knees to see the toys that were no longer on the floor. I never would have thought of this.
—Maya S.Our daughter was not starting to cruise on her own, and all the push toys I bought were too fast for her. Ellie suggested using a dining chair and placing socks on the feet of the chair so it would glide on the floor. Isabelle was able to push the chair at her own pace and learn to balance and walk.
—Jennifer N.My baby would always bend her head to one side. When she was in her car seat, her head would fall to the right. Ellie worked with my daughter and helped her so she didn’t have a tilt anymore. Ellie told us to have Lucy turn her head to look to the side of her tilt. She showed us that Lucy should use both of her arms the same way and not lean to one side. She had us change some of the ways we were carrying and feeding Lucy to have her look to the right. This made a big difference and we didn’t even know!
—Maria M.My son ran like Superman. He would hold his arms back behind him straight out. Ellie recommended having Aiden hold a small object in each hand, since that would help him close his hands and also bend his elbows. Ellie also did some exercises for his body, and this helped so much. We were able to practice this running at home and Aiden now runs faster and doesn’t get as tired.
—Lisa S.Dr. Elisheva Fuchs is a seasoned physical therapist and owner of The Therapy Gym. The Therapy Gym is a leading comprehensive pediatric provider of PT, OT, Speech, Behavioral and Aquatic Therapy.
