Physical Therapy for Pediatric In Lexington, KY

Conditions We Treat

Our pediatric physical therapy services are designed to help children improve motor skills, recover from injuries, and achieve developmental milestones. At Kentucky Therapy Solutions, we understand that each child’s journey is unique, and our experienced team provides specialized care tailored to meet individual needs and goals. Through evidence-based treatments and compassionate care, we help children build the strength, skills, and confidence they need for daily activities and long-term success.

Developmental Delays

Developmental delays in gross motor skills can significantly impact a child’s ability to explore and interact with their world. Our specialized approach focuses on helping children achieve crucial milestones like sitting, crawling, and walking at their own pace. Through play-based therapy and developmental exercise programs, we build foundational skills that support natural progression through movement milestones, while working closely with families to integrate therapeutic activities into daily routines. Our comprehensive evaluations help identify specific areas of need, allowing us to create targeted interventions that support each child’s unique developmental journey.

Torticollis and Plagiocephaly

Torticollis, characterized by tight neck muscles on one side, often occurs alongside plagiocephaly (flat spots on the head) and requires early intervention for optimal outcomes. Our treatment approach combines gentle stretching exercises, positioning strategies, and comprehensive parent education to improve neck motion and head shape. We conduct detailed assessments of neck range of motion and head shape to create personalized treatment plans that include hands-on therapy, positioning techniques, and home exercise programs designed to maximize outcomes and prevent future complications.

Neurological Conditions

Children with neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or other neuromuscular disorders require specialized care to maximize their functional abilities and independence. Our treatment plans address multiple aspects of neurological conditions, including muscle tone management, movement patterns, and functional skills development. We work closely with medical teams to ensure coordinated care while focusing on improving mobility, enhancing independence in daily activities, and preventing secondary complications through regularly adjusted treatment goals based on each child’s progress and developmental needs.

Post-Surgical Rehabilitation

Following surgery, children need carefully guided rehabilitation to ensure optimal recovery and return to function. Our post-surgical programs combine progressive strengthening with protection of healing tissues, guiding children through each phase of recovery from initial protective movements to full return to activities. Working in coordination with surgeons, we implement comprehensive treatment plans that include pain management, range of motion exercises, strength training, and functional activity progression, all tailored to the specific surgical procedure and individual child’s needs and goals.

Sports Injuries and Musculoskeletal Pain

Young athletes have unique needs during injury recovery and require specialized care to safely return to sports and prevent future injuries. Our sports rehabilitation program begins with a detailed evaluation to identify movement patterns, strength deficits, and biomechanical factors contributing to injury. We then develop progressive rehabilitation programs that address strength, flexibility, coordination, and sport-specific skills, while emphasizing education about injury prevention and proper movement patterns throughout treatment to ensure a safe and confident return to athletic activities.

Balance and Coordination Difficulties

Balance and coordination challenges can affect a child’s participation in play, sports, and daily activities, requiring a comprehensive therapeutic approach. Our treatment focuses on developing core strength, improving vestibular function, and enhancing proprioceptive awareness through engaging activities that challenge and improve motor planning abilities. We incorporate practical, functional training that directly relates to daily life, sports, and play, helping children build confidence while developing more efficient movement patterns that support their participation in age-appropriate activities.

Physical Therapy Sessions in Lexington, KY

Each child’s care begins with an in-depth assessment of current developmental status through activities such as:

• Detailed developmental history review
• Primitive reflex testing
• Sensory processing evaluation
• Gross and fine motor skill assessment
• Postural control and balance analysis
• Movement pattern observation
• Parent concerns and goals discussion

We then match evaluation findings to customized, play-based treatment plans aligned to each child’s developmental needs and family goals. These evolving plans adapt as your child grows and progresses.

Benefits: How Pediatric Physical Therapy Facilitates Development

Under the care of our specialized pediatric team, children gain both immediate developmental support and lasting foundations for future growth.

1. Support for Natural Development

Expert integration of primitive reflexes and sensory processing creates the neurological foundation children need for successful developmental progression. Through carefully designed activities, we help establish proper movement patterns essential for everything from crawling to handwriting.

2. Early Intervention Advantages

Research shows that early therapeutic intervention provides the best outcomes by supporting brain development during critical periods of plasticity. Our therapists design age-appropriate activities that capitalize on these natural windows of development.

3. Prevention of Secondary Challenges

By addressing underlying developmental and sensory processing needs early, we help prevent compensatory patterns that could lead to learning, behavioral, or motor challenges later. Parent education ensures proper support continues at home.

4. Individualized Developmental Strategies

No generic protocol can address every child’s unique developmental journey. Our therapists tailor each plan through specialized techniques, sensory experiences, and play-based activities designed explicitly for your child’s current abilities and next developmental steps.

What to Expect During Your Child’s Physical Therapy Journey

While each child develops uniquely, pediatric physical therapy generally follows this progression:

Assessment and Foundation Building

The foundation of successful therapy begins with a thorough understanding of your child’s current developmental status. During the initial 60-90 minute evaluation, our skilled physical therapists conduct comprehensive assessments that examine every aspect of your child’s development. This includes careful observation of natural movement patterns and play skills, providing crucial insights into how your child interacts with their environment.

Key components of our assessment include:

• In-depth screening of primitive reflexes such as the Moro reflex, ATNR, STNR, and TLR
• Evaluation of postural control and core stability
• Assessment of sensory processing patterns across all sensory systems
• Analysis of current developmental milestone achievement
• Review of daily routines and challenges

This detailed evaluation process allows us to create a highly individualized treatment plan that addresses your child’s specific needs and your family’s goals.

Reflex Integration

Primitive reflexes play a crucial role in early development, but their retention can impact a child’s ability to develop more mature movement patterns and skills. Our reflex integration program takes a systematic approach to helping these natural reflexes mature appropriately. Through gentle, rhythmic movements and carefully sequenced activities, we work with your child’s nervous system to support natural development.

We support this integration through:

• Customized movement patterns designed for specific reflexes
• Activities that support natural reflex maturation
• Home program activities that reinforce integration
• Regular progress assessments
• Parent education about reflex impact on daily function

Sensory Processing Support

Understanding and appropriately responding to sensory input forms the foundation for successful learning and development. Our comprehensive sensory integration approach combines structured therapeutic activities with environmental modifications to help your child develop appropriate responses to sensory input. We work closely with families to create supportive environments both in therapy and at home.

Essential elements include:

• Carefully designed sensory experiences across all systems
• Structured activities to improve sensory regulation
• Environmental modifications for optimal arousal
• Parent education on recognizing sensory needs
• Tools for creating sensory-smart environments

Motor Skill Development

Building on the foundation of integrated reflexes and organized sensory processing, our motor development program focuses on developing the strength, coordination, and control needed for age-appropriate activities. Through playful engagement and carefully structured challenges, we help children develop the physical skills needed for daily activities, play, and learning.

Our program encompasses:

• Progressive core strength and stability activities
• Developmental sequence-based movements
• Fine motor skill development
• Balance and coordination challenges
• Visual-motor integration activities

Ongoing Development Support

Supporting your child’s development extends far beyond our physical therapy sessions. We partner with families to ensure therapeutic principles carry over into daily life. Regular communication, education, and adjustment of strategies help maintain progress and address new challenges as they arise.

Our comprehensive support includes:

• Detailed home program instructions with visual guides
• Regular parent coaching sessions
• Progress updates and goal adjustments
• Communication with other providers (with permission)
• Resources for community support

Each phase of therapy builds systematically upon previous progress, creating a solid foundation for development. We continuously adjust our approach based on your child’s responses and progress, ensuring optimal outcomes while respecting each child’s unique developmental journey.

Our Expert Physical Therapy Team

At Kentucky Therapy Solutions, our team of skilled professionals brings specialized expertise and genuine compassion to every child’s care journey. Our therapists combine advanced training with a deep understanding of pediatric development to deliver exceptional care.

Dr. Taylor Shelton, PT, DPT

Dr. Shelton brings extensive expertise in early childhood development and physical therapy to our team. After earning her BS in Exercise Science from Western Kentucky University and her doctorate from the University of Kentucky, she has dedicated her career to helping children reach their developmental milestones.

Dr. Shelton specializes in early intervention, with particular focus on helping infants and toddlers master crucial milestones like rolling, crawling, and walking. Her advanced training in torticollis and plagiocephaly treatment, optimal infant positioning, and reflex integration allows her to provide comprehensive care for our youngest patients.

Additionally, Dr. Shelton works with elementary and middle school children to improve their endurance, fitness, and balance skills. Her diverse experience across acute rehabilitation, chronic rehabilitation, school systems, and private practice settings enables her to adapt therapeutic approaches to each child’s unique needs and goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I consider pediatric physical therapy for my child?

Early intervention is crucial for optimal developmental outcomes. Parents should watch for signs that may indicate a need for professional support, including delayed motor milestones like rolling, crawling, or walking, challenges with speech or language development, or difficulty with age-appropriate tasks. Retained primitive reflexes might show up as poor balance, difficulty sitting still, or problems with eye tracking, while sensory processing challenges could appear as unusual sensitivity to environmental inputs or difficulty with transitions and emotional regulation. If you notice any of these signs, it’s better to seek an evaluation sooner rather than later – our team can help determine if physical therapy would benefit your child.

How often are therapy sessions scheduled?

Treatment frequency is carefully determined based on your child’s individual needs and evaluation findings. For most children, a standard schedule of one to two sessions per week, typically 45-60 minutes each, provides consistent support for developmental progress, though some may benefit from more intensive scheduling or maintenance sessions. We understand families have busy schedules, so we offer flexible scheduling options to accommodate school and other commitments, and regularly review and adjust the treatment schedule based on progress and family circumstances.

How do you keep children engaged in therapy?

At Kentucky Therapy Solutions, we combine developmental expertise with creative, play-based activities that capture children’s interest while working toward therapeutic goals. Our physical therapy environment is carefully designed to encourage exploration and learning, with equipment and activities tailored to each child’s interests and learning style. We personalize each session by incorporating favorite toys, games, movement, and music, while maintaining the right level of challenge to build confidence as children master new skills. Parents receive regular updates and guidance for incorporating playful learning at home, ensuring therapy remains engaging and effective.

What can I do to support therapy at home?

Supporting your child’s progress between physical therapy sessions is crucial for optimal outcomes. We work closely with families to develop practical strategies that fit naturally into daily routines, such as modifying everyday tasks to incorporate therapeutic elements or finding ways to make therapeutic activities enjoyable for the whole family. Our team provides ongoing guidance about recognizing improvements and maintaining progress, while focusing on approaches that work within your family’s unique lifestyle and routines. This partnership between therapy sessions and home support creates the best environment for your child’s development.

How will I know if therapy is working?

Progress in physical therapy is measured through a combination of formal assessments and real-world observations. We regularly conduct reassessments of developmental skills and track specific goal achievement, but more importantly, we look for functional improvements in daily life – how well your child participates in school activities, manages daily routines, engages with peers, and responds to various challenges. Through regular progress updates and family meetings, we maintain open communication about your child’s achievements and continuously adjust treatment plans to ensure optimal outcomes.

Start Your Child’s Journey with Kentucky Therapy Solutions

At Kentucky Therapy Solutions, our caring, skilled pediatric physical therapy team feels privileged to support families as their children develop and grow. We recognize the incredible potential within each child to achieve their developmental milestones. Request a consultation or call us to schedule your child’s thorough initial evaluation and start developing their customized treatment plan.

Next Steps: Request a Pediatric Physical Therapy Evaluation in Lexington, KY

Ready to support your child’s development and build strong foundations for their future? Complete our quick intake form or call us at (859) 203-4878 to schedule your child’s 1-on-1 evaluation with one of Kentucky Therapy Solutions’ trusted pediatric physical therapy specialists.