Gross motor delay and developmental delay are general terms for when a child is having difficulty meeting gross motor milestones. These gross motor milestones can include crawling, walking, jumping, climbing stairs, and coordination activities such as jumping jacks, or other recreational activities. Parents may notice a child struggling with the above-mentioned gross motor skills or when a child starts recreational activities and notices their child is not able to keep up with peers. At this point, the parent can bring up their concerns to the pediatrician, and the pediatrician will refer the child for physical therapy. Pediatricians also use several different measures to try to track overall milestone progress to allow the child to access physical therapy services as early as possible.
Physical Therapy will identify and address the overall gross motor milestones your child may need help in meeting. During your child’s physical therapy session, they may receive:
- Therapeutic exercise
- Balance training
- Neuromuscular training
- Postural training
- Mobility training/gait training
- Coordination training
- Milestone Training
- Oculomotor training
- Vestibular Training
- Activity Specific training
