skip to Main Content

Your Frequently Asked Questions about Physical Therapy Answered!

A Q&A with of our Physical Therapists, Brittany

Q: What is Pediatric Physical Therapy?

A: My role as a Pediatric Physical Therapist is to help your child gain independence and
freedom with their movement. This can look different for each child. Pediatric Physical
Therapy can help your little one gain strength, improve balance and coordination,
increase range of motion, walk with proper mechanics, learn how to utilize an assistive
device or wheelchair, achieve and build confidence with age-appropriate gross motor
milestones, and so much more!

Q: What are some common diagnoses that you treat and how do I know if my child
needs therapy?

A: Some of the common diagnosis I treat include developmental/gross motor delay, cerebral
palsy, genetic disorders, autism, down syndrome, toe-walking, and more. However, as
therapists we aim to treat a child as whole, rather than focusing in on a diagnosis. Your
child may benefit from physical therapy if he/she:
o Is not meeting or lacks confidence with age-appropriate gross motor milestones
o Has poor balance or coordination
o Has low muscle tone or strength
o Demonstrates poor posture
o Lacks proper gait (walking) mechanics (i.e. toe walking, in/out-toeing, etc.)
o Is W-sitting
o Has decreased endurance or activity tolerance

Q: What does a typical day look like for you?

A: One aspect I love about my job is that each day is different! I see patients in the Hudson
clinic as well in five different school buildings, so my days can get a bit crazy! However,
I tend to begin each morning by getting organized, doing paperwork, and planning out
my day. I also like to collaborate and touch base with other therapists and staff members
in the morning before the day gets too busy! Once it’s time to start seeing kids, you may
have a tricky time tracking me down! In the schools I get to provide therapy interventions
within classrooms, during gym class, on the playground, in the therapy room and more!
In the clinic, you can find me in the large therapy gym at the rock wall, swing,
slide, stairs, and endless gross motor equipment! In between treatment sessions, I try to
sneak in as much documentation as I can (something people may not know about
physical therapists is that we usually have quite a bit of paperwork on our plates). I also
typically have a few meetings each week to prepare for and work into my schedule. After
all that, the day usually goes by pretty quick. I tend to end my days by wrapping up
documentation, getting a head-start on upcoming paperwork, and brainstorming fun
games and activities for the kids!

Q: How long are treatment sessions?

A: In the outpatient setting, treatment sessions are typically 30-60 minutes long. Ultimately,
the length of a treatment session depends on the needs of your child.

Q: What advice would you give to a parent inquiring about improving balance with their children?

A: There are so many fun ways to help improve your child’s balance! Below are some of my
favorites.

o Obstacle Course: Walking over couch cushions/pillows, jumping over objects,
tip-toeing across a line of tape, etc.
o Yoga: Trying new yoga poses is a great way to not only relax but to also work on
your balance. CosmicKidsYoga on Youtube is one of my favorite resources for
fun yoga videos for kids.
o Animal Elevators: Place a stuffed animal on top of your child’s foot and have
them lift that foot to take the animal on an elevator ride into a bucket.
o Standing on One Foot: I love to encourage parents to have their child practice
standing on one leg when they brush their teeth – it is a short time commitment
and something they already do every day! The child can use their free hand for
support on the bathroom sink/counter as they practice.

Q: What do parents need to know about W-Sitting?

A: W-sitting is when a child sits on the floor with their legs splayed out in the shape of a
“W”. W-sitting is common in children because it provides them a wider base of support
and doesn’t require much work on their part. However, this sitting position places a lot of
stress on the hips and knees, limits trunk rotation, decreases core activation and strength,
and can lead to in-toeing.

Q: What is toe walking and when is it a concern?

A: There are several reasons why your child may be walking on their toes (idiopathic,
sensory processing disorders, or tight muscles). It is also not uncommon to see babies and
toddlers walk on their tip toes when they are first learning how to walk. However, if your
child is walking on their toes after 2 years of age, it may be a good idea to have them
evaluated by a physical therapist. Toe-walking can result in tight muscles on the back of
the leg, decreased range of motion, affect the alignment of the pelvis, and increase your
child’s risk for tripping and falling.

Back To Top

Patient Reviews

LLA Therapy

Patient Reviews

Crystal Scheibe

Facebook
Great place, glad we found them. Been going to Medina over 2 months now and he loves Lauryn and Kyler. Wish they had more ABA therapy places available... live in Wooster and long drive everyday.

Karrie Swan LaRock

Facebook
My 11 year old son has dyslexia and has made noticeable gains in working At LLA THERAPY. Katie is strong in her approach toward him and also keeps him comfortable enough to perform well. We will continue visiting both the Fairlawn and Hudson offices and recommend them highly.

Ron Monroe

Facebook
My 9 year old just completed about 9 months of weekly speech sessions (due to his stuttering) with Matt Hagge at LLA and we are thrilled with the experience and results. What I thought might be a negative (what kid really wants to go to speech class?) was made very positive by Matt, and my son never hesitated or complained when we talked about class. He really enjoyed it and really took what Matt taught him to heart. His speech has been greatly improved and we definitely recommend LLA. Thank you so much!

Heather Dougherty-Pantoja

Facebook
My son’s Occupational Therapist, Jess, is an amazing OT! She gives practical tips on working with my son at home and school!

Terri Apgar

Facebook
I cannot say enough good things about LLA Therapy. My daughter was a client of Teal Simmons’ for approximately 2 years and was just released from speech therapy! She was diagnosed with Apraxia in 2015 and worked with Teal twice a week. Through Teal’s application of PROMPT therapy, my daughter had age-appropriate speech after one year. All of the staff we interacted with at LLA were absolutely wonderful. They really care about what they do and making sure your child achieves their goals.

Kelli Geisler Davisson

Facebook
LLA Therapy has been an excellent experience for my son as well as my family! My son always asks, "When can I go see Ms. Jeannine again, is it Monday??" He has also made huge gains in only 5 months! I would highly recommend LLA and have already shared my experience with friends looking for services!

Victoria Hansford-Price

Facebook
We are so grateful for our Speech Therapist Ms.Teal. We have seen a great improvement with our sons confidence and communication abilities since we have started "Prompt" therapy. What we love the most about LLA and Ms. Teal is that Kohl feels comfortable and relaxed which has played a critical role in his progress. Thank you Ms. Teal for all you have done.

Laura Lee Hogsett

Facebook
They have helped in numerous ways. Speech, OT and behavioral. I've had numerous compliments on my son's progress thanks in very large part to LLA. I would recommend LLA before I recommend our local children's hospitals, though they are good, they don't have the staff that LLA does.

Amy Furukawa

Facebook
We had a great experience with Matt Hagge at LLA! Our Middle School age son was becoming very conscious of his voice, which is nasal due to a cleft palate. Matt helped him to better form his sounds and project his voice in a way that makes the unavoidable nasality less noticeable.Our son is more confident and outgoing & even took on a speaking role in the church play. Matt has the perfect personality to relate with our son, and we would recommend him to anyone needing speech therapy services!

Jessica Havalotti

Facebook
LLA Therapy has been an excellent experience for our daughter. I would highly recommend LLA. Miss Grace was so amazing and I can't believe how quickly our daughter showed improvement. Thank you!
Read More