Recover with NDT Physical Therapy
- 12 9, 2019
- |Diseases and Conditions
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Increasing attention is being paid to brain problems and cures, from sports concussions to congenital defects. The conversation is great, and now novel techniques are coming to the fore that may help victims. One new strategy is known as Neurodevelopmental Therapy (or NDT). This can be used in many kinds of therapy, including pediatric physical therapy.
Foundationally, Neurodevelopmental Therapy is a way to look at problems on a very personal level. Pediatric physical therapists use hands-on methods and advanced equipment to train patients on tasks. For instance, imagine a kid who can't grasp a fork might set a goal to do it. The pediatric therapist might guide the patient through lifting the hand, locating the utensil and recognizing how it feels and then using the fingers and thumb to grab. It's all step by step, and guided by touch from beginning to end.
The most valuable part of this Neurodevelopmental Therapy method is patient goal-setting. In the case of children, goals may be set by the parents. For adult patients dealing with problems such as TBI and stroke, the goal could involve walking, standing and more. Elite physical therapists who try these techniques say that a patient's ideas about their treatment is very important.
Besides feeling like it's working, Neurodevelopmental Therapy truly is effective. Patients might need less help and fewer devices and improve at proper positioning. Gains can be made in a variety of functions.
For kids with disabilities, physical therapists can use Neurodevelopmental Therapy to help them be less dependent. They can learn to bear their own weight, learning to climb stairs, or even stand up without help. The best pediatric physical therapists believe that at least a little improvement is possible for almost all people, even if they have lifelong conditions such as cerebral palsy.
The scientific research about Neurodevelopmental Therapy isn't very exhaustive, but the topic isn't hotly contested, either. Many of the research papers were about just a few patients, so aren't widely applicable. But the ideas are pretty commonsense and a growing number of pediatric physical therapists and other specialists are starting to use it.
If you need help with mobility, function or even speech and language, consider finding a signs of autism in toddlers San Diego CA expert for a few sessions.