Therapy

Physical Therapy for Children

Have you noticed your child missing movement milestones or falling more often than expected? This can sometimes be linked to muscle weakness, limited mobility, or difficulty with coordination. Pediatric physical therapy focuses on identifying and addressing these underlying challenges to support more natural, confident movement.

At Westside, our physical therapists look beyond the surface to understand what’s affecting your child’s mobility, then create targeted plans to help improve strength, balance, and overall physical function.

Pediatric Physical Therapy to Reduce Physical Limitations

Physical therapy is especially beneficial to children who display delays in gross motor development, mobility, gait, strength, and posture, or those who need to regain physical abilities after an injury or accident.

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How Pediatric Physical Therapy Can Help Your Child

Physical therapy is like building a foundation for muscle strengthening and an expanded range of motion. Many families turn to physical therapy if their child is recovering from an injury or is lagging in some way developmentally. Pediatric physical therapy incorporates exercises and other best practices to help your child regain their physical strength.

Improve Mobility & Strength

Some children face difficulty raising their arms, tilting their heads, or doing other physical movements because it is genuinely hard for them. It might cause them pain or discomfort. A pediatric physical therapist helps children improve their mobility and expand their range of motion. They ensure that day-to-day activities, such as carrying a backpack or climbing stairs, do not become a struggle.

Enhance Coordination & Balance

Does your child always fail to catch a ball or lose balance even on a plain surface? This could be due to potential coordination and balance issues. Physical therapy studies the neurological and physical factors causing this condition and treats them accordingly. Our PTs help children to enjoy their time at the gym, playground, and other public spaces.

Support Recovery from Injuries

An injury can be more severe for a child than for an adult. Also, children heal differently from adults. To avoid long-lasting damage or other related concerns, it is advisable to strictly follow the doctor’s advice during recovery. Physical therapy ensures that the healing process stays on track, helping children regain their strength safely and steadily.

Our Pediatric Physical Therapy Specializations

At Westside, our pediatric physical therapists are trained to handle diverse conditions and help families with varying needs. Whether your child has motor delays, restricted mobility, posture issues, or another challenge, we can help. We offer a range of services to address different pediatric issues. Our pediatric physical therapy services allow families to find a specialist for various issues under one roof, including:

  • Torticollis (Head Tilt or Rotation Preference)

  • Plagiocephaly Brachiocephaly Scaphocephaly (Ex: Flat Head Shape)

  • Scoliosis (Schroth Method)

  • Developmental Delay of Motor Function (Milestones)

  • Motor Planning and Coordination

  • Gross Motor Skill Development Balance Issues (“My kid seems clumsy”)

  • Hypotonia/Hypertonia

  • Prematurity

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Down syndrome

  • Cerebal Palsy

  • Spina Bifida

  • Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC)

  • Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

  • Muscular Dystrophy

  • Neurological/Genetic Conditions

  • Toe Walking

  • Serial Casting

  • Gait Training/Re-training

  • Orthotic Assessments and Training

  • Wheelchair Assessments and Adjustments

  • Kinesio Taping

  • Splinting/Bracing

  • Growth-Related Pain

  • Post-Traumatic Injury Rehabilitation

  • Sports Injury Recovery

  • Strength and Endurance Activities

  • Pelvic Floor Therapy

What Pediatric Physical Therapy at Westside Looks Like

Evaluation

Pediatric Physical Therapy begins with an evaluation from a clinician. This evaluation will inform you of your child’s areas of concern, the projected treatment plan, and the recommended frequency of appointments.

Sessions

Our Physical Therapy sessions, led by pediatric physical therapists, follow a hands-on, 1-on-1, and skilled therapy approach. The sessions are kid-friendly and provide a safe, inviting environment for patients and their families.

Achieving Outcomes

Our therapists at Westside’s pediatric physical therapy clinics are highly respected, skilled clinicians who strive to deliver positive, life-changing results to every child. Through expert care and personalized strategies, each child can make meaningful progress.

Why Choose Westside for Pediatric Physical Therapy

There are many physical therapy options, but families choose Westside for the way we care for each child. Our approach is compassionate, personalized, and focused on what will truly make a difference in your child’s daily life. We take the time to understand each child’s unique needs and create treatment plans that reflect their specific goals. Here are a few more reasons families trust us:

  • Experienced Pediatric Therapists It is important to find physical therapists who work exclusively with children, as pediatric PT differs from adult PT. At Westside, our experts work exclusively with children. They have the skills required to read children even when they are unable to express themselves clearly about what is troubling them. With their expertise in pediatric physical therapy, experts spot challenges early and treat them accordingly.
  • Hands-On 1-on-1 Therapy It is important to us that your child receives dedicated support throughout their journey. Our therapists provide one-on-one sessions, ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks. Our patient-to-therapist ratio ensures that your child works with a therapist in a safe, entirely theirs, space, where they can focus on exercise and recovery.
  • Family-Focused Care We understand how crucial the family is in every child’s physical therapy journey. At Westside, we involve parents actively in the process, teaching them light exercises they can encourage their child to practice at home to ensure continued progress. We also provide clear guidance on the treatment path, share what they can expect, and communicate results honestly.
  • Proven Results & Parent Satisfaction We do not believe in guesswork; at Westside, everything is tracked, monitored, and adjusted based on the data. Our evidence-based frameworks help us deliver measurable results, which our team communicates to the parents. Week after week, parents notice meaningful changes at home, in school, and in other settings.

Start Your Child’s Pediatric Physical Therapy

It can be difficult to watch your child struggle physically, but early support can make a meaningful difference. If you’re unsure where to start, our team at Westside Children’s Therapy is here to guide you. We’ll take the time to answer your questions, walk you through the process, and help you understand what progress can look like over time.

We work with children from infancy through age 18, and getting started is simple—just fill out our form or give us a call to schedule an appointment. Families trust us for consistent, thoughtful support every step of the way.

Find a Pediatric Physical Therapy Location Near You

Locations

FAQs

  • What is pediatric physical therapy?

    Pediatric therapy addresses issues that prevent kids from moving properly and maintaining balance. It also helps them recover from injuries. To this end, pediatric physical therapists recommend following best practices and restorative methods. Pediatric physical therapists prepare plans that include exercises, therapies, and other treatments to improve the child’s range of motion and reduce muscle stiffness. The aim is to help kids regain strength and move freely without pain or discomfort.

  • Why is Westside considered the best pediatric physical therapy provider?

    There are many reasons, one being that we have over 1,000+ pediatricians referring to us for services. Above all is our parents’ feedback and quality care.

    Every parent is sent a survey at the beginning, middle, and end of their therapy services. It asks: “On a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to refer Westside to your friends and family?”

    Here is what parents say:

    Average Beginning Score: 9.71/10
    Average Middle Score: 9.83/10
    Average End Score: 9.89/10

    This is exactly why Westside is highly preferred for its pediatric services.

  • What does Pediatric Physical Therapy cost?

    While cost varies by insurance plan, number of therapy hours, and other factors, we still inform you on what you can expect to pay. We have built a sophisticated cost calculator that looks at 19 factors that impact cost. When we run it, it shows you a week-by-week prediction of cost.

    This estimate occurs after your evaluation, once we know the frequency of therapy. All you do is provide us with your insurance plan details, and we handle the rest.

  • Which insurances do you accept for physical therapy?

    We work with a wide variety of insurance companies and HMO networks. We are always expanding our network – click here to view the list of our currently accepted insurances.

  • How long will my child be in physical therapy?

    Graduating kids from physical therapy is our goal. It means we did our job and the child’s concerns have been addressed. We do everything we can to achieve progress as quickly as possible and ensure open communication between the family and the therapist about the child’s progress. The best progress is seen when combining consistent in-clinic sessions and compliance with your child’s home exercise program. When results show that concerns have been fully addressed, it is time to graduate AND celebrate!

  • Which ages do you treat?

    At Westside, we generally treat children from birth to 18 years old. Our physical therapists are trained to work with babies, toddlers, kids, and teens.

  • How often will my child need physical therapy?

    Most physical therapy treatment plans are 1-3 hours per week in-clinic, with 1 hour per week being the most common.

    Our therapists teach the parents and the child how to continue the exercise at home. This complements the in-clinic treatment and leads to lasting change.

Getting Started

If you are interested, submit an inquiry below. Our Patient Coordinator will call to help you determine a plan forward. If you are still unsure, you can call us anytime at (815) 469-1500 for more information.