What is school-based Physical Therapy?
"The primary goal of Physical Therapy (PT) in public education is to enable children with disabilities to benefit from special education instruction in the least restrictive environment." Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - IDEA 34 CFR § 300.34 (a)
School-based PT is different from medically-based PT, in that PT services within the school are designed to allow students to access their educational environment. Often times, a child may present with physical impairments such as muscle weakness, loss of range of motion, or coordination/balance deficits that do not functionally impair or hinder the child’s ability to access their educational curriculum and maximally participate within their program. Medically-based PT services are often delivered in a hospital, out-patient clinic, private therapy clinic, or in your home. Services are initiated by a referral from a physician and are based on underlying medical causes, delay and/or diagnosis. Their goal is to improve function across all environments the child interacts within by addressing specifically muscle strengthening, range of motion, balance, coordination, and endurance training in order to rehabilitate or return to prior level of function. Individualized home programs and ongoing caregiver training are necessary parts of the service to encourage carryover outside of treatment.
School-based PT is different from medically-based PT, in that PT services within the school are designed to allow students to access their educational environment. Often times, a child may present with physical impairments such as muscle weakness, loss of range of motion, or coordination/balance deficits that do not functionally impair or hinder the child’s ability to access their educational curriculum and maximally participate within their program. Medically-based PT services are often delivered in a hospital, out-patient clinic, private therapy clinic, or in your home. Services are initiated by a referral from a physician and are based on underlying medical causes, delay and/or diagnosis. Their goal is to improve function across all environments the child interacts within by addressing specifically muscle strengthening, range of motion, balance, coordination, and endurance training in order to rehabilitate or return to prior level of function. Individualized home programs and ongoing caregiver training are necessary parts of the service to encourage carryover outside of treatment.
Gross Motor Ideas:
Here are some gross motor activities to try at home! They are separated by category, and (mostly) organized within the file from easier to harder activities.
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