Wise Little Movers - Physical Therapy

02/14/2024

PSA‼️
Babies learn by DOING. This means that they have to be allowed the opportunity to do a task over and over again for that motor pathway to solidify and for them to learn that task. This goes for the simplest task of lifting their heads up, to rolling and sitting independently. This is why "containers" such as bouncers, swings and carseats are not highly encouraged by therapists. They do not allow for baby to explore the environment freely, which hinders they ability to motor learn.

What are some ways you can encourage purposeful play and motor development? Well, as always, it depends. It depends on your baby's age and what skill they may be working towards but some examples could be...
-tummy time tracking with lights or rattles
-sidelying play to encourage hands to midline
-supervised (and maybe some hands on) sitting practice with a toy to work that tummy and work on balance
-reaching for toys outside their arms reach (in all positions to encourage movement)

Explorational play is 🔑 to motor development. Do you or your baby need some guidance on purposeful play? Reach out and we can certainly help!

01/24/2024

Not busy this weekend? Check out this awesome event, organized by SC Breastfeeding Coalition to learn about all things breastfeeding! I may or may not be speaking 😜

This is going to be a great event!

01/01/2024

Cheers to a new year full of health, growth, and laughs! Here's to 2024🤪

12/25/2023

Hoping all our friends and families have a safe and healthy holidays! 🥰🎄

12/20/2023

👣Have a stubborn little who won't take any independent steps?👣

Walking is one of the big milestones, that I get constant referrals for. It's the same story, baby will stand at the couch, but will NOT take any independent steps. Try these simple hacks to help your little one gain some confidence and get stepping.

1. Get them cruising side to side. Put a toy just out of reach, and encourage them to take small steps towards it. Orr, if your little one is a big foodie (like myself) then you can use the snacks to motivate them.
2. Cruise between surfaces. Table to couch, couch to couch, couch to ottoman. Get them confident with taking steps between support surfaces to build that confidence.
3. Sit to stands from a chair/stool/your leg. This is one of my go-to exercises. You get leg/hip strengthening, core work with balancing, you're building confidence with standing and teaching that when they have had enough, they can safely sit back down.
4. Stand at a vertical surface (mirror, fridge, door, wall). This puts more weight in the legs, and makes the core work to stabilize; also limits the amount of weight they can put through their arms. A suction toy or stickers work great for this task!
5. Walking with only one hand held. A lot of babies will walk if both of their hands are held and supported, but you drop one hand, and they're freaking out. Distraction is key here. Give them their favorite toy/stuffed animal for one hand, and then you can hold the other. Remember, the lower you hold their hand, the more work they have to do!

Let's get stepping friends!

12/06/2023

👣Got a Happy Sitter??👣

Happy sitting is arguably one of the easiest positions for babies/kids to play in (once they have conquered sitting of course). Sometimes we'll come across kiddos who are very content playing in this position, and have difficulty playing in most other play positions. Why? Well it could be a variety of things (weak core, weak hips, tightness in trunk/hips, difficulty weightbearing through arms, etc.) but the important thing is to give them opportunities (and possibly some assist) getting into and playing in other positions.

This could look like:
1. Bring toys to a higher surface to encourage short kneel or tall kneel play
2. Put toys out of reach to encourage transitioning in/out of happy sitting
3. Bring toys to the side to encourage trunk rotation and reaching across midline
4. Have them sit on your leg or a small stool/chair for 90/90 sitting to encourage core activation and challenge balance

Mix it up and keep it fun!

11/29/2023

👣Torticollis 101👣

What are some possible signs of torticollis is babies/infants?
1. Feeding preference only to one side
2. Elevated shoulder on one side (most easily seen in sitting)
3. Extra skin folds on one side of the neck (often also red and irritated)
4. Unequal tracking from side to side

Will babies grow out of it? Probably not. This may resolve for the time being, but MOST OFTEN will show up again later with gross motor skills like sitting (poor balance and difficulty transitioning) or crawling (inchworm crawling, hitch crawling, butt scooting).

The best way to combat this is to address the torticollis early!! Early intervention is 🔑

11/15/2023

👣Moving shouldn't be stressful👣

When I see a baby that is not tolerating tummy time, arching in sitting or when held, struggle with feeding, are colicky, or have difficulties sleeping, I KNOW I can help. These are signs of increased tension in the body, which leads to increased stress levels. When baby is stressed, their nervous systems are in fight or flight which means they have limited abilities to eat well, sleep well, and move well. A combination of manual therapy, cranial sacral fascial therapy, and neuromuscular re-education can help put baby at ease, regulate the nervous system and get back into an appropriate state for eating and learning. How cool is that?

Want to learn more? Shoot us a message to see how we can help your baby! 💪

11/08/2023

All smiles on discharge day 😊 Thanks Dr. Maddie for helping Hailey 💪🏼

10/31/2023

👣Baby wearing 101👣

We love a good baby wearing tool. And while there are about a million to choose from, let's be sure we're getting baby in a safe position.

Things to remember:
✅ Knees slightly higher than bottom (M-shaped)
✅ Thighs supported
✅ C-shaped spine (especially newborns!)

This positioning is crucial to helping proper hip development occur in babies and to prevent hip dysplasia! Want more recommendations or info? Give us a shout! 😊

10/24/2023

👣Baby Tension👣

Babies and toddlers with tongue/lip ties OFTEN have a lot of residual body tension.

Where are the most common places we see this?
1. Neck ➡️ often leads to torticollis or plagiocephaly (flat spots) 😬
2. Shoulders/trunk ➡️ is you baby resting in a c-shape?
3. Diaphragm
4. Hands ➡️ hands will always be in fists/clenched
5. Feet ➡️ toes are curled or clawed

Let us help your baby release this tension, creating the opportunity for improved feeding, positioning and motor learning!

10/19/2023

👣Are oral motor skills linked to gross motor skills?👣

100% yes. When baby's oral motor skills are impacted (difficulty feeding, clicking, popping on/off breast, mouth breathing) they have to work twice as hard to move. Maybe it's due to increased body tension, retained reflexes, an unregulated nervous system all going about the body to move! This could manifest in so many different ways but most often we will see torticollis, flat spots, asymmetry in body posture, and delayed gross motor skills (rolling, sitting, crawling).

Does your little one struggle with any of these things? If so, we can help! 💪🏼