Milestones Matter ♡

Tummy Time Triumph

On their phone consultation, Julie and Sam anxiously described how their 4-month-old daughter fussed on her playmat, crying within seconds of being placed on her stomach. Tummy time had become a daily struggle. Concerned about potential delays in her motor skills, the couple decided to seek help.

Since infants spend so much of their days and nights being cuddled or on their backs, tummy time is an essential position to balance out their muscles by promoting lifting their heads for neck control and preventing conditions like plagiocephaly (commonly known as flat-had syndrome) and torticollis. Tummy time also helps kickstart curiosity as it enhances sensory experiences helping to foster cognitive and social development. This all made sense to them, making all the consistent efforts and patience required to work through the exercises they were coached through by their physical therapist worth it when their daughter was able to move in circles on her belly with a smile on her face.

Roll Call: Ethan’s on the Move

Ethan was a happy baby boy with a sweet smile. He loved to look at colorful toys and giggled easily, but at 11 months old he still wasn’t rolling on his own and needed help to sit up. His mother was concerned that he would fall further behind the more he grew and scheduled his first PT Evaluation.

At that first visit, his mom learned that by not rolling Ethan wasn’t activating some important abdominal muscles called obliques. Getting those muscles working involved showing Ethan fun exercises to help him roll. With each try, Ethan started to use his muscles more and more. After a few weeks of practice, he could finally roll over! His posture looked better, and he was excited to roll and push up into sitting on his own to look at his toys from a different perspective.

Sitting Solo Like a Boss

Genesis couldn’t figure out why her 7 month old continued to fling backwards when she put him in a sitting position. Nate had mastered his milestones up to this point, but now she was so worried that he might suddenly arch back and loose his balance that she guards him with her hands.

He needed the gentle guidance of a physical therapist to trouble shoot this strange sitting pattern. Through a series of playful exercises and activities designed to balance his muscle tone, he gradually was able to find his center of gravity and sit up straight to play with toys without falling over.

Zaviyan’s Crawling Chronicles

Yesha reached out to me when her one-year-old Zaviyan was still not crawling. She described how he would get up on his hands and knees but would only stay for a few seconds before dropping down to his belly. She explored many avenues and toys to try to encourage him but she realized she still was missing a piece of the puzzle. She brought up all her concerns and what she had already tried, and with some coaching and modifications was able to celebrate him crawling for the first time!

Mia’s First Steps

At 16 months old, Mia faced challenges that made moving around difficult. Diagnosed with hydrocephalus, she struggled to move in and out of sitting, watching her older siblings explore the world with ease. Her mother, determined to help her, sought the guidance of a pediatric physical therapist. The first step to working with Mia was to show her we were on the same team. Moving had been so difficult for her that she was resistant to any new movements. Using colorful toys and playful games, the therapist made each session fun and engaging, encouraging Mia to eventually reach, push, and pull herself forward.

Over the next six months, Mia made incredible progress. She first learned to crawl, her movements becoming more coordinated and confident with each passing week. As her strength grew, she began to cruise along the furniture, holding onto the edges for support as she took side steps. Finally, the day came when Mia took her first independent steps, her face lighting up with joy and pride. Her parents cheered her on, filled with gratitude for the therapist’s dedication and Mia’s determination. With each step, Mia discovered new freedom and independence, ready to explore the world around her with a newfound sense of adventure.