. It offers significant benefits for children with developmental delays or neurological conditions.

Children with a wide range of conditions can benefit from intensive therapy, including:

Intensive therapy focuses on providing a high dose of therapy over a shorter period. This approach can 

accelerate progress and help children achieve goals that might otherwise take much longer with traditional weekly therapy sessions.

What are the benefits of intensive therapy?

How does intensive therapy compare to traditional therapy?

Unlike traditional therapy, which often involves weekly or biweekly sessions, intensive therapy provides a more concentrated approach with 

Is intensive therapy covered by insurance?

Insurance coverage for intensive therapy can vary depending on your specific plan. It's important to 

check with your insurance provider to determine your coverage.  

Can you share an example of how intensive therapy has helped a child?

Absolutely! A 2-year-old child with hereditary spastic paraplegia participated in an intensive therapy program. Initially, the child relied on army crawling for mobility. 

After three weeks of intensive therapy, the child was able to independently crawl on hands and knees, transition from sitting to standing, maintain standing while holding a push toy, climb onto 2' high surfaces, and demonstrate improved balance and coordination.

 This intensive approach significantly accelerated the child's functional gains in a short period.

Ready to learn more about intensive therapy for your child?

If you think intensive therapy could be beneficial for your child, we encourage you to:

If you want to learn more about intensive therapy and have specific details you can call us at 

To schedule an evaluation with a therapist specializing in intensive therapy, use the link below. One of our intake specialists will contact you to set up a time that works best for your schedule! 

By taking these steps, you can learn more about the potential benefits of intensive therapy and determine if it's the right choice for your child.

Is Intensive Therapy Right for Your Child?: A Q&A for Intensive Therapy

Physical therapists don't just help adults recover from injuries. Pediatric physical therapists are specially trained to help children of all ages overcome challenges and reach their full potential. Whether your child has a developmental delay, a sports injury, or a chronic condition, a PT can create a fun and effective program to get them moving.

Unlike a typical doctor's visit, pediatric PT sessions are all about play! Therapists use games, activities, and exercises tailored to your child's needs and interests. This might involve: 

 Using fun exercises and activities like animal walks, obstacle courses, and games, PTs help children improve their balance, agility, and muscle control. This can be essential for everything from playing on the playground to keeping up with friends. 

 Physical therapy can be a game-changer for children who are experiencing delays in reaching milestones like rolling over, crawling, or walking. Your PT will assess your child to identify the areas holding them back, and create a fun program to help them develop the skills they need to progress. 

 Did your little athlete take a tumble? PTs can help kids heal from sports injuries and surgeries. A PT will help your child restore strength and flexibility so they can safely get back to their favorite activities. 

 Children with conditions like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy can benefit from physical therapy to help manage their symptoms and improve their overall function and well-being. A PT will assess your child to identify areas of strength and areas that need improvement. They will then develop a program to help your child maximize their strength, range of motion, coordination, and endurance. They'll educate you and your child on things you can work on at home. They can also help get your child any needed equipment like wheelchairs, braces, or walkers.

Physical therapy isn't just about physical health. While physical therapists play an important role in promoting physical activity and health in kids, PTs can also help children with: 

 As kids gain strength, coordination, and independence, their confidence soars. This can have a positive impact on all areas of their lives. 

PTs can teach children techniques to manage pain and discomfort, improving their overall quality of life. 

 Gross motor skills help children participate in play and games with peers, which helps children develop social skills and build friendships.

If you think your child might benefit from physical therapy, talk to your pediatrician or give your PT a call. They can assess your child's needs and create a personalized plan to help them reach their goals!

1) The Scope of Pediatric Physical Therapy Practice in Health Promotion and Fitness for Youth With Disabilities. Pediatric Physical Therapy 27(1):p 2-15, Spring 2015. | DOI: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000098 a. https://journals.lww.com/pedpt/Fulltext/2015/27010/The_Scope_of_Pediatric_Physical 

2) Aquatic Physical Therapy for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics, 30:2, 111-124, a. DOI: 10.3109/01942630903543575 

3) Physical Therapy Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis: An Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline. Pediatric Physical Therapy 25(4):p 348-394, Winter 2013. | DOI: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e3182a778d2 a. https://journals.lww.com/pedpt/Fulltext/2013/25040/Physical_Therapy_Management_ of_congenital_muscular.2.aspx 

4) Pain Assessment and Management in Children With Neurologic Impairment: A Survey of Pediatric Physical Therapists. Pediatric Physical Therapy 22(3):p 330-335, Fall 2010. | DOI: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e3181ea8d7d a. https://journals.lww.com/pedpt/FullText/2010/22030/Pain_Assessment_and_Manage ment_in_Children_With.18.aspx 

 1) 5 Ways to increase physical activity in infants and toddlers a. https://www.choosept.com/health-tips/5-ways-increase-physical-activity-infantstoddlers 

2) Activities to Promote Development in Children a. https://www.choosept.com/childrens-activities

3) Whole Body Exercises for Kids of all Abilities a. https://www.choosept.com/video/whole-body-exercises-kids-all-abilities

Getting Kids Moving: Pediatric Physical Therapy

Babies reach a point where conquering tummy time isn't enough. Their sights, and tiny, grasping hands, are set on a new horizon: independent sitting! But the journey from rolling champion to sitting superstar requires more than just sheer enthusiasm. As a pediatric physical therapist, I see the excitement and frustration that unfolds on this path. 

This blog post is your personalized blueprint for building a confident, wobbly-free sitter. We'll deconstruct the key building blocks of independent sitting, each brick essential for reaching that coveted upright milestone.

Before being able to sit independently, each child must develop the following:

 is the ability to hold your head up against gravity when held in an upright position. 

 is the ability to lift your head up when in tummy time, gazing horizontally. 

The child can maintain sitting with the caregiver's hands for support. 

Hands may be placed at chest level during the early stages. As trunk control improves, hands may be positioned at the hips.

The child can maintain sitting while using a dynamic support surface for support. An example includes a 

The child can maintain sitting independently using hands for support. 

As your little one finally masters independent sitting, take a moment to soak in the pure joy of their accomplishment. It's a testament to all those playful tummy time sessions, wobbly attempts, and giggles of encouragement. But remember, the journey doesn't end there. New adventures await, with crawling, cruising, and eventually walking just around the corner.

If you have any concerns about your baby's progress, seeking guidance from a pediatric physical therapist can provide invaluable support. We want to be there for you and your little one to build skills for life. We're here to celebrate your baby's every milestone and ensure they have the tools and confidence to conquer every new challenge.

Baby Steps to Independent Sitting

Cerebral Palsy: the most common motor disability. A group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move, maintain posture, and balance themselves.

Cerebral Palsy is often caused by damage that has occurred in the brain that affects its overall development. This disruption of development affects the ability to:

Nearly 70% of Cerebral Palsy cases are the result of an injury at birth?

Over 1 million people in the U.S. are living with CP?

Approximately 10,000 babies are diagnosed with CP each year?

When Cerebral Palsy might appear noticeable: 

CP might be recognizable as early as infancy or during the years of preschool and is categorized as a “non-progressive” disorder. Non-progressive essentially means that it will not continue to develop or get worse.

*CP increases the likelihood of seizure activity or one becoming blind or deaf

 stiffness and difficulty moving (most common type)

causes problems with balance and depth perception

How do we treat CP at Marshall Pediatric Therapy?

Marshall's multidisciplinary approach to treatment ensures that there's a comprehensive level of commitment to care. Marshall Pediatric Therapy offers Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Therapy, Physical Therapy, Mental Health Therapy, and a behavior program (Building Blocks Program), for children diagnosed with autism. Together, these disciplines can work together to address all possible concerns. Below you can see how Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language therapy services contribute to what is being addressed. Marshall Pediatric Therapy has successfully treated a wide array of Cerebral Palsy diagnoses, ranging from milder to much more complex conditions. Marshall works with each individual patient and their family to instill confidence along the way.

*Note that some symptoms are more obvious than others

Cerebral palsy in relation to incontinence

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital CP Clinic:

https://www.childneurologyfoundation.org/disorder/cerebral-palsy/

A Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis 

Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) - SO, what is it? 

First and foremost, we would like to congratulate our very own Physical Therapist, Chloe Isaacs, PT, DPT, CIMI-2 on the recent completion of her certification in 

 and for being the FIRST in the state of Kentucky to become certified and bringing this method of treatment to Marshall Pediatric Therapy. Chloe is a graduate of the

In this post, we will not only introduce you to all things associated with DMI, but we will show you a few examples of DMI techniques first-hand from one of Marshall’s current patients, our sweet friend, Lillie. We are confident that the discovery and implementation of this technique have been a “missing link” for the overall effectiveness of some therapeutic treatments. We are excited to see how this form of intervention will help shape the world of pediatric therapy and future patients.

DMI Therapy. What is it and how exactly could it help benefit MY child?

is defined as “a therapeutic technique that is used in both

to help treat children with motor delays by improving automatic postural responses and promoting progress towards developmental milestones." The goal of DMI is to provoke a specified active motor response from the child in response to defined dynamic exercises prescribed by the therapist. This comprehensive intervention incorporates current research on neurorehabilitation, technologies, and methodologies. DMI stimulates neuroplasticity to facilitate new neuronal connections and the development of motor milestones. 

Regardless of the level of cognition and extent of neurological deficit or damage, affected children benefit from DMI motor intervention as it pertains to stimulating 

 Children diagnosed with any type of motor delay including conditions such as:

Children at risk, such as those who are born prematurely can also benefit from this therapy due to the strong neuroplastic changes that this treatment stimulates within the developing brain.

After a brief assessment, the therapist will identify areas of deficit, which will guide the treatment. The therapist chooses exercises that will challenge the child’s neurological system to the highest level of skill as well as exercises that develop the core and foundational milestones. Exercises involve movement against gravity, progressively more challenging support, provocation of desired movements, as well as postural and strength challenges. 

During a treatment session the child will complete many different exercises which provide novel and varied sensory and motor challenges and each exercise is repeated around 5 times. Exercises may be repeated from session to session until the movements become automatic, which results in improved balance and function. Exercises are conducted on a tabletop or the floor based on the child’s abilities.

DMI Therapy works well in conjunction with other therapeutic techniques and therapy equipment. These are often combined in a treatment session to provide better alignment and enhance optimal outcomes.

1. Gross Motor Skills – Improving the gross motor skills of children from birth by developing automatic motor movement. (Promotes Neurological Maturity)

 – Continuously increasing the challenge to encourage the child to respond with greater independence.

- All exercises focus on optimal anatomical alignment and stimulate postural control and verticality.

 - Muscle and joint range of motion is achieved by movement (Dynamical and functional stretching).  

 – Improved balance is a common thread through most DMI exercises.

 – Improving actions and skills that lead to attaining milestones such as rolling, sitting, standing, and walking.

 The strong sensory information provided by the exercises sends afferent messages to the brain to create specialized synapses that fine-tune balance, muscle control, and movement.

8. Modifying Tone, Primitive Reflexes, and Abnormal Patterns of Movement

 - DMI strives to provide normalized movement patterns to children with neurological dysfunction to assist with the integration of disruptive primitive reflexes.

 DMI focuses on gross motor skills, however, many other skills develop as a byproduct of this intensive intervention

One really great component of DMI is the encouragement of the parent’s involvement and participation in order for the treatment to be the most successful. At Marshall, we are advocates for this approach as well. The success of one’s individual therapy journey far surpasses what is introduced and accomplished in the clinic setting itself. When a parent is willing to learn and takes therapy techniques home that are assigned by our professional clinicians, they are continuing to challenge the child to reach milestones at a much quicker pace. 

"You always want to help challenge the child at their highest cognitive level. If you aren’t challenging the brain enough, especially during its prime developmental years, the brain is not able to successfully create neuro-pathways. It’s always important to remember that If you aren’t going out of your comfort zone, you aren’t going to see the change.” - 

Neuro pathways help to send signals from one side of the brain to the other. There are three types of neurons. 

= stimulated by our senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing), and

 = help connect the neurons together. When there’s a disruption in the connection, this is when the child might experience difficulty with certain skills that require the intervention of therapy. 

We want to introduce you to one of our current patients and friends, Lillie, and her awesome mother, Brittany, who have opened up to share their pediatric journey and testimony so far. To advocate for Marshall, and for DMI. Brittany shares that traveling the distance from Mt. Sterling to receive services at Marshall Pediatric Therapy is "

Lillie is a little over two years old and has been coming to Marshall since November 2022. A brief glimpse at her diagnosis: Lillie was born 35 weeks premature and has the genetic disorders of both 

. Due to these conditions, Lillie has some onset setbacks developmentally that we are working through.

, in which instead of two chromosomes, they are born with three. Though this condition is identified as genetic, it’s usually not something that is inherited, it is rather due to genetic error at random

, also a chromosomal condition that is associated with many abnormalities in multiple parts of the body including:

An alarming statistic is that children with 

often times present so many life-threatening medical complications, that they oftentimes die before birth, or within one month after birth. 5-10% of children diagnosed with Trisomy 18 live past their one year and those that do, experience a high level of severe intellectual disabilities.

We are so grateful to be part of sweet Lillie's journey as a culmination of innovation and reliable resources that provide hope and peace of mind. When you are a patient at Marshall, you are treated like FAMILY!

Interested in booking an initial evaluation with one of our clinical experts!? We've got you covered 

Are you a clinician and Interested in becoming certified in DMI Therapy? Learn more 