What is a comprehensive approach to physical therapy?
A comprehensive approach means looking at children as whole people, not just sections of a developmental process. We need to think about how their multiple systems work together and what is important for their day-to-day life.
For example, if a family’s main goal is for their daughter to walk, we don’t just look at her legs and feet. We must examine many different components that make up that child and determine how they affect her ability to walk. Beyond making sure she has the appropriate strength, balance, and coordination needed to walk, we also need to assess her visual ability, her sensory system, and her motivation (just to name a few components). If her eyes are not working together properly, she may not feel safe in an upright position. If she is overly sensitive, she may feel overwhelmed by position changes and avoid them as much as possible. If she has no interest in a toy placed on a couch to entice her to stand up, she will not be motivated to stand up. It is only when we assess a child comprehensively that we can determine the true causes of developmental roadblocks and then treat them appropriately.
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