A pediatric physical therapist is responsible for helping kids develop their motor skills so that these kids can work, play and act normally just as other kids do. The task of a pediatric physical therapist does not only involve in making sure that the child can balance and can use his body parts i.e. feet, legs and arms. They will assign specific activities or exercises to the child to help the child gain strength in his arms and legs. Even simple exercises like playing touch ball, baseball, crawling in and out of a tunnel and walking in a straight line can be very helpful to a child's physical development.
There will also be instances when a pediatric physical therapist will advice the patient's parents to modify the living area of the patient to avoid injury, accidents and the like. For example, if the house of the patient is a 2-storey and the bedroom of the child, who is unable to balance his body while walking, is in the top floor the doctor may advice the parents to transfer the child to a bedroom on the ground floor. There may also be adaptive equipments that would make the life of the child easier and his recovery faster.
The work of the therapist will usually start by examining the condition of the child. This includes checking the past medical history of the patient, running a battery of mental and physical tests as well as conducting an interview to the patient's pediatrician, parents and the child itself.
However, a Pediatric Physical Therapist will never be able to help a child's development if the parents or the child's guardian is not cooperative. The key to a child's fast development is the right set of physical exercises and the parents' guidance and participation. Every child needs their parents' approval and encouragement. This is even more important for children who have physical and mental disabilities.
The main job of a pediatric physical therapist is to ensure that the child's problems with movement and strength is addressed. Many people view this job as something very interesting, and indeed, it is! Imagine all the help you can extend to the little ones. It is not an easy job but the mere fact that you are able to help other kids is enough reason to work as a pediatric physical therapist. The salary of a therapist is also competitive and the chance of getting a promotion is also very high.
