Pediatric physical therapy is essential for children who experience issues with movement in the classroom. Movement is a hallmark trait of childhood, but for some kids, it may be harder than it should be. Conditions present at birth, injuries, and developmental delays can all lead to a need for help from a physical therapist clinic.

As parents and teachers watch how students sit at desks and tables, sit on the floor, and walk around, they can identify children who may need the help of a PT. If you’re noticing a child in your life who has difficulty moving, you can use the following list of signs to see if they may benefit from physical therapy.

Identify a Pediatric Physical Therapy Need: 8 Signs

A physical therapist can greatly benefit children who experience a range of physical issues, some of which can be harder to identify than others. Both parents and teachers can also keep an eye out for PT issues throughout a child’s day.

Some signs that a child may need PT include:

• They prop onto their arms while sitting on the floor.
• They don’t join their friends on the playground.
• They walk on their toes.
• They sit with their legs in a “w” shape for support.
• They place both feet on a step when going up and down the stairs. 
• They have poor posture when sitting at their desk. 
• They struggle with catching, throwing, hopping, skipping, or jumping.
• They trip and fall often. 

It’s important to note that these signs are not a guarantee that a child needs PT—some kids simply prefer indoor and quiet activities to running around, or slouching may merely signify that they’re uninterested in an activity or subject.

However, if any of these signs are observed on a regular basis, a PT evaluation can be helpful to determine if PT services are needed. It’s better to evaluate the sign and learn that there’s no problem present versus leaving PT issues unchecked. 

The muscles in the body are more connected than you think, and a weakness in one can snowball into other areas of the body. For example, weak core muscles, which can present as a child sitting with a slumped posture, can lead to a poor foundation for fine motor skills such as handwriting or using scissors, which can impact their academic success. 

Motor impairments can also increase a child’s risk of injury. Toe walking can occur from muscle tightness, poor balance, or core weakness, and it can result in a greater risk of tripping and falling. Ultimately, physical therapy helps children move more functionally, which prevents further damage from occurring and relieves existing pain.

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Physical Therapy for Kids: How Does it Work?

Physical therapy serves as a way to help children improve their ability to move their body, which can help them achieve goals such as:

• Improve mobility
• Alleviate pain
• Develop or restore function
• Promote overall health and wellness
• Prevent or decrease permanent physical disability

Physical therapy helps children with their development, enhances their learning opportunities, improves their strength and endurance, and increases their independence. 

Some of the conditions affecting children that a physical therapist can help with include:

• Cerebral palsy
• Concussions
• Diabetes
• Autism
• Congenital heart defects
• Developmental delays
• Hypermobility
• Down syndrome
• Muscular dystrophy
• Scoliosis
• Spina bifida
• Bowel and bladder issues
• Injuries

For some of these conditions, such as cerebral palsy, PT combines nicely with occupational therapy (OT) to further improve the child’s ability to complete daily tasks. 

How Teachers Can Support Students with PT Issues

Teachers should be on the lookout for the above signs of a PT issue, and if they present themselves, suggest a PT evaluation. Classroom teachers can pay special attention to how their students handle sitting on the floor, their posture when at their desks, and how they walk through the hallways. Gym teachers and playground aides can observe how children move while playing and how they interact with their peers.

Your job doesn’t end with a referral, either. Teachers are essential for facilitating the physical therapist’s work and enhancing the progress of the child. One study even found that, when evaluating the factors that lead to successful physical therapy integration, the foundation of successful integration comes from teachers. 

For teachers wondering how they can help, here are some tips:

• Have A Flexible Room Arrangement: Having the flexibility to move activities and objects around the room allows teachers to match the space to the activity, whether it’s a group activity or an individual. Children with PT issues may need more space to join in on the activities of their peers, and having the ability to open up a portion of the room ensures that they are able to move as they need to and at their speed. This doesn’t have to be challenging, either; it could be as simple as moving an activity from one corner of the room to another.
• Give a Heads Up: One thing that teachers can do to promote a more successful PT session is to give the student a heads-up that the session is upcoming. This way, they aren’t interrupted in the middle of their work and can be fully prepared to transition out of the classroom. 

• Monitor for Progress-Inhibiting Behaviors: Teachers can communicate with the child’s PT about which behaviors they should monitor for and the adjustments they should suggest. For example, changing the position in which they sit to fill out worksheets. Teachers can watch for these behaviors when the PT isn’t around, ensuring the child sticks to the treatment plan throughout the day. 

• Keep It Clutter-Free: When a classroom has children with movement difficulties, it is all the more important to ensure that the floors are kept clear of clutter, such as chairs or misplaced toys. These objects can obstruct the movement abilities of children with PT issues and can keep them from accessing all areas of the classroom. Along these same lines, the pathways in the classroom should be wide enough for any assistive equipment, such as a walker, crutches, or wheelchair, to easily pass. Children should never be denied access to a portion of the room simply because their equipment does not fit. Instead, the room should be rearranged to ensure that all students can access the different areas. 

• Keep Materials Accessible: When arranging the classroom, teachers should ensure that supplies and materials are accessible to all students, such as confirming that a child in a wheelchair can reach supplies from their seated position. Not only does this ensure your students are not reaching for things outside their reach, which can lead to an injury, but being able to grab the materials they need for themselves also increases their independence and self-confidence. 

• Incorporate Movement Breaks: Taking a break from learning to have a short burst of movement can help support the work of physical therapists. Movement breaks can also be beneficial for—and enjoyed by—all the students, not just those with PT issues, as it gives them a break from sitting still while also being stimulating enough to bring back the class’s focus after the movement break is over. 

Helping Children with PT Issues

Physical therapy helps to get children moving. By supporting their core and building their motor skills, physical therapy allows children to overcome physical limitations and work their muscles in a way that relieves pain, restores function, and prevents future problems from appearing. 

PT issues can become more noticeable at school, but teachers can make modifications that allow for all their students to have the same level of mobility. By being flexible with activity locations, keeping materials accessible, and creating clutter-free and wide pathways, teachers can help kids move around the classroom. Additionally, teachers can help the child work on their physical therapy tasks and watch for unwanted behaviors, keeping them on track. 

While teachers can modify their classrooms to make them more user-friendly, they aren’t able to address and remedy PT challenges—they can only support the work started by a PT.

Parents can help their children succeed in school and at home by finding qualit physical therapists at Coral Care. By offering in-home appointments with flexible scheduling, we help students succeed by connecting them with quality SLPs, OTs, and PTs.

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