Pediatric Physical Therapy

About Pediatric Physical Therapy Services at The Therapy Tree

Pediatric Physical Therapists provide support and assistance to children from Birth to 21 years of age, with gross motor skills, core strength, and stability. Gross motor skills include how your child moves when walking, running, jumping, standing on one foot, and how the use of core trunk balance reactions and strength.

The Therapy Tree Pediatric Physical Therapy team are experts in human movement and are dedicated to working with children who have a wide variety of difficulties to improve physical movements, strength, balance, walking, large muscle coordination, body alignment, and overall mobility. In addition we evaluate the need for assistive devices such as, orthotics or braces, and work to build your child’s confidence in their interactions with others and daily living skills.

How do I know if my child needs physical therapy?

You may notice that your child is at a different stage than other children of the same age, or wonder if they are having difficulties in movement. At wellness check-ups, your child’s pediatrician may notice gross motor problems that your child is having and write a prescription referring your child to physical therapy.

Please look at our guide to pediatric physical therapy screening, and if you are concerned that your child may need physical therapy, please call us at 847.265.7300 or email us at info@thetherapytree.org to schedule a screening.

We offer free developmental screenings to children Birth to Five years of age, which you can learn more about by visiting our Developmental Screenings page. In addition, you can download and fill out our Developmental Screening Informed Consent to bring with you to the screening.

What happens after the screening?

Once we complete the developmental screening, our therapists will provide you with a Screening Summary Sheet. If the therapists who performed the screening feel that a full evaluation is needed, they will request in writing, that your pediatrician prescribe a physical therapy evaluation on the Screening Summary.

What happens if a full evaluation is suggested?

Your child will be evaluated to determine if physical therapy would be of benefit and what areas of physical development need improvement if physical therapy is needed. We strive to provide you with the most comfort, knowledge, and confidence in understanding what pediatric physical therapy will accomplish.

After the evaluation, if it is determined that physical therapy is necessary, we will address in-depth, specific difficulties that are occurring in the child’s motor development and work together to develop an individualized treatment plan along with teaching tools for parent/caregiver to continue skill-building in the home, to improve or eliminate these problem areas. The use of different techniques, both traditional and complimentary, along with collaboration across multiple specialties available at The Therapy Tree, provide children the best possible outcome for increasing mobility, independence, confidence, and overall life skills.

The type of therapeutic methods used and length of services are dependent on varying issues such as what problems are being addressed, who willing participants are and what their desired goals are, and also influenced by the strength and help of their support systems, and level of needs to be met. Sometimes sessions are set on a weekly basis, taking learning step by step and at a steady pace. Other times sessions can be more or less frequent based on the client’s particular needs at the time.

The Physical Therapy Team

The Therapy Tree Pediatric Physical Therapists are responsible for evaluating patient conditions and needs, developing a treatment plan for patients, determining activities and specific goals to be accomplished, and determining the need for collaboration with other therapists here, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and/or counseling services.

For detailed information on an individual, click on their picture.

Carol Bettendorf, M.S. PT, PCS

Kelly Ruby, PT

To make it easier for you to find the exact information you are looking for, please select one of the following links related to our pediatric physical therapy services below, and feel free to contact us with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Our therapists provide therapy with compassion and enthusiasm, while focusing on improving the lives of families as a whole. Just as much as we teach and help our pediatric patients, they become some of our greatest challenges, joy, and teachers.

We hope that our website gives you comfort and confidence in making decisions regarding your child / children and the ways that we can enrich your lives.

Thank you for Visiting The Therapy Tree!

For more information on the therapeutic services we offer adults, families, and others, including massage therapy, yoga, martial arts, and other wellness classes, please visit our Adult Services and our Wellness Center pages.