A Step Ahead Pediatric Therapy

10/31/2025

🎃🧡HALLOWEEN FACT FILLED FRIDAY🧡🎃

10/28/2025

🧡🎃😊It is costume week at ASAPT!! Be sure to wear your favorite costume or Halloween shirt and stop by to see Mrs. Kaitlyn and have your picture taken and get a treat. No tricks! 😊🎃🧡

10/28/2025

Great information from our friends at National Seating and Mobility!

10/24/2025

FACT FILLED FRIDAY!

It's been a while since we talked about crawling. There are so many reasons why we as PT's and OTs want your child to crawl here are just a few.

Crawling helps to develop baby’s muscles and coordination.
When babies crawl, they use their arms and legs to move around the room, which helps to improve muscle strength and balance in these limbs. In addition, crawling helps to improve the babies’ coordination as they learn to use their arms and legs at the same time in a reciprocal pattern. This is the early stages of bilateral coordination.

Crawling also helps baby to develop their sense of space.
As babies move around crawling, they start to develop a sense of space. They learn about the distance between objects and how to navigate around obstacles. This is an important skill as it helps them to become more independent and mobile.

Crawling is a precursor to other skills.
Crawling is also a precursor to other skills such as standing, and walking. As babies learn to crawl, they are also preparing their bodies and their core muscles for these other milestones.

When babies weight bear through their hands, arms, and shoulders, they are preparing the fingers and thumb for fine motor tasks too!

Crawling helps babies learn about their tactile system.
As babies crawl around the room or outdoors, they feel different objects that are soft, hard, bumpy, smooth, etc. and they process that sensory information.

Crawling is an important milestone for babies, not just because it’s a cute stage of development, but because it has real benefits for their physical and cognitive development!

10/18/2025

We got busy yesterday so are giving you some good facts for your weekend! Not every child meets their milestones at the same pace. That's why we're here for you and your child! But did you know that there is a developmental milestone chart specifically designed for the down syndrome community? Since October is down syndrome awareness month we thought this would be a good time to share!

10/17/2025

Go take a look at this page! We think they offer a great perspective!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DP28MKsjVjx/?img_index=10&igsh=MWw2N2t5bDY3cmNjbg==

10/16/2025

Happy Mr. Dan Day!!

Thank you for making A Step Ahead what it is 🎊🎉

10/10/2025

FACT FILLED FRIDAY ...Let's get thinking!

10/06/2025

Go Green today! 💚
What is CP?
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neurological disorders that affect a person's movement, posture, and balance. It's caused by damage to a developing brain, usually before birth or in early childhood. CP can cause a range of symptoms, from mild clumsiness to severe inability to walk, and may also involve other conditions like intellectual disability, seizures, or vision problems.

What is Cerebral Palsy not?
It does not take away smiles, laughter, the need for love and friendship.
Go Green today!💚

10/03/2025

FACT FILLED FRIDAY
👣👟👣👟👣👟👣👟👣👟👣👟👣👟👣👟👣

Why Properly Fitted Shoes Matter for Child Development

At A Step Ahead Pediatric Therapy, we often hear from families who buy shoes a size or two larger so their child can “grow into them.” While this seems practical, oversized shoes are actually developmentally inappropriate for children who are learning body awareness, balance, and coordination.
Here’s why fit matters:
✅ Balance & Safety: Shoes that are too large increase tripping and stumbling, which can lower a child’s confidence in movement.
✅ Gait Development: Oversized shoes alter how the foot strikes the ground, leading to inefficient walking or running patterns.
✅ Motor Skill Progression: When shoes don’t provide proper support, it becomes harder for children to climb, jump, or participate in playground activities safely.
✅ Body Awareness: Properly fitted shoes give children the sensory feedback they need to understand where their feet are in space—an essential skill for coordination and motor planning.
Think of it this way: if a child is learning to write, we wouldn’t hand them a pencil that is far too large and expect success. Shoes function in much the same way—providing tools for safe and confident learning.
👣 The takeaway: Shoes should fit today’s foot, not next year’s. Supporting proper alignment and movement now sets the foundation for strength, confidence, and lifelong healthy habits.
—The Team at A Step Ahead Pediatric Therapy

09/28/2025

We work so hard to help your child meet their goals at their pace. Our friend Miss Stella has been working so hard on standing balance and walking and she really showed it off tonight as the flower girl for her aunt's wedding!! Well done Stella!! We are so proud of you!!

09/27/2025

FACT FILLED FRIDAY

Vestibular input is a type of movement is a powerful tool in therapy and at home. It can calm or excite, depending on the individual/time/movement/environment/sensory need. Vestibular sensory input can be alerting or calming to our nervous systems, allowing us to learn, interact with others, and go through our day.

We have a blog post that explains everything you need to know about vestibular processing and the vestibular system. Let’s move! https://www.theottoolbox.com/vestibular-activities/