Sacred Heart - Inspiring Health

Is It Time to Consider Therapy? Children may need to see a pediatric therapist for a variety of reasons. Some kids, for example, don't develop at the same rate as their peers, or need therapy as part of their recovery from an injury or major surgery. Other children may receive therapy as part of the care plan for conditions such as autism or Down syndrome. Pediatricians evaluate children's development during well-child visits, and before their second birthdays children also receive several developmental screenings. Many times, however, the first warning signs are noticed at home. If you have concerns about your child's development, or if your child seems to have difficulty communicating his or her wants or needs, talk with your family's pediatrician. WHEN USED AS A TOOL DURING PEDIATRIC THERAPY, MUSIC HELPS CHILDREN DANCE AND SING THEIR WAY TO IMPROVED COMMUNICATION AND MOVEMENT. SOME CHILDREN NEED extra help meeting developmental milestones such as walking, talking, socializing with their peers, and honing their fine motor skills. In these cases, physicians may recommend kids take part in one or more of the following therapies. ✳ Physical therapy addresses functional limitations and problems with range of motion, strength, balance, and gross motor skills, such as walking, running, crawling, and jumping. ✳ Occupational therapy focuses on helping children foster the behavioral, social, and fine motor skills necessary to attend school and perform activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, and writing. ✳ Speech therapy helps with a wide variety of challenges— from difficulty swallowing and eating to language delays, stuttering, and speech problems that make it hard for children to pronounce certain words, letters, and sounds. Young children, especially, learn through play, so pediatric physical, occupational, and speech therapists must use a variety of activities and tools to make therapy enjoyable and engaging. One of these tools is music. "When used in physical and occupational therapy, music helps kids get a better sense of their bodies, rhythm, and movement," says Jennifer Williams, OT, Manager of the Speech, Physical, and Occupational Therapy Services (S.P.O.T.S.) Pediatric Therapy program at HSHS St. Joseph's and HSHS Sacred Heart hospitals. "Music can also help kids develop new language skills. They may hear a song and begin to perform associated hand motions, and soon they're singing along to the words with less effort than talking requires." Additionally, music can help reduce anxiety and improve mood, and may be used as a reward or to help children stay focused, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Music is powerful—even adults use music to decrease stress in their lives," Williams says. "If a child is getting frustrated, we can use music to calm them, take their mind off of how hard they are working, and make work more fun." For more information about the S.P.O.T.S. Pediatric Therapy program at HSHS St. Joseph's, visit stjoeschipfalls.org/our-services/rehabilitation-services/pediatric-therapy or call 715.726.3447. To schedule an appointment at the S.P.O.T.S. Pediatric Therapy Program satellite clinic at HSHS Sacred Heart, call 715.717.5390. Musical MOTIVATION 1 5 S A C R E D H E A R T E A U C L A I R E . O R G

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