Physical Therapy

Physical therapists provide services to children who have impairments, functional limitations, disabilities or changes in health status resulting from injury, disease or other causes. Our practitioners work closely with the parents, physicians, and other health care professionals to assist these children toward achieving the skills necessary to lead independent and satisfying lives. Examples of physical therapy activities include:

• Exercise, such as stretching, strengthening, and aerobic exercise
• Thermal treatments, like heat, ice and ultrasound
• Electrical stimulation
• Patient education
• Joint mobilization
• Fitting for orthotics or braces
• Burn care
  

How Can Physical Therapy Help?

The ultimate goal of physical therapy for children is to assist them in acquiring the skills and movements necessary to perform age-appropriate tasks or activities of daily living in the safest and most efficient manner possible.

Services for Infants

Physical therapy services may be required for infants and children with:

• Premature birth or low birth weight
• Congenital anomalies or genetic disorders
• Neurological incident occurring before, during or after birth
• Delays in sensory motor skills
• Poor behavior/state regulation
• Neuromuscular disease
• Chronic medical conditions including cardiac disease, respiratory conditions, and gastrointestinal disorders

Services for Children and Adolescents

Physical therapy services may be required for children and teens with these conditions:

• Developmental delay
• Neuromuscular disorders including spina bifida, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, head injuries and Guillian-Barré syndrome
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and related disorders
• Orthopaedic injuries
• Orthopaedic conditions such as joint deformities and amputations
• Chronic pain and reflex sympathetic dystrophy
• Minor burns and open wounds
• Chronic conditions limiting general endurance level, such as cystic fibrosis and cardiac conditions

Goals

Our approach is one in which the patient, family, and professionals all focus on mutually agreed-upon goals. This teamwork makes our physical therapists effective in helping children achieve optimal independence and adequate functioning whether at home, school or in the community. Goals for children and teens may include:

• Promotion of positions and movement patterns that are the safest and most efficient for the child
• Promotion of the development of age appropriate skills
• Prevention and non-surgical correction of deformities
• Increasing range of motion to allow performance of daily living activities
• Reduction and management of chronic pain
• Improvement of function using assistive devices and orthotics (braces, etc.)

A printer-friendly brochure about Wolfson Children's rehabilitation is provided here (PDF) for your convenience.

Contact Information

To schedule your child's first appointment, at any of our oupatient clinics, call 904.202.1884. A referral form (PDF), completed by your child's physician, is required.

Programs & Services