Strive Pediatrics

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Round Rock, TX
Strive Pediatrics

Doctor Kennedy received her bachelor’s and clinical doctorate from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. She has practiced in top-ranked U.S.

We help babies & children improve their function through holistic Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy & Craniosacral Fascial Therapy (CFT) in Austin, Texas and surrounding areas. hospitals, including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Children’s National Medical Center of Washington D.C., and other outpatient settings. Most of her career was spent treating fragile children in neonatal intensive care units. Now Dr. Kennedy specializes in outpatient, in-home physical therapy, infant massage, and wellness. As a mother of two, she understands both the gifts and challenges of motherhood.

03/30/2026

MYTH: “Play doesn’t really impact development.”

Truth: Play is how children build the foundation for learning, movement, behavior, and regulation.

Play isn’t “extra” — it’s essential for healthy child development.

That simple activity on the floor? It’s supporting:

✔️ Fine motor skills (grasping, manipulating)
✔️ Gross motor development (strength, coordination)
✔️ Sensory processing & regulation
✔️ Motor planning & problem solving
✔️ Language and social skills
✔️ Emotional regulation & attention

Through play, the brain and body learn to work together — creating the building blocks for confidence, independence, and school readiness.

At Strive Pediatrics, we use play-based occupational and physical therapy to support how children move, regulate, learn, and thrive.

📌 Save this as a reminder that play is powerful
👶 Share with a parent who needs to hear this
💬 If your child struggles with play, movement, or regulation, DM us or schedule an evaluation — early support makes a difference.

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03/23/2026

When Should a Child Jump with Two Feet?

Jumping isn’t just a fun milestone — it’s a sign of developing strength, balance, coordination, and motor planning.

Most children begin to jump with both feet off the ground around age 2, but like all milestones, it’s a process built through earlier movement.

Before jumping, kids develop:
✔️ Squatting and standing strength
✔️ Balance and postural control
✔️ Core stability
✔️ Confidence with movement and play

✨ Why jumping matters:
Jumping helps support:
• Gross motor development
• Coordination and body awareness
• Bone and muscle strength
• Playground confidence and safety

If jumping feels difficult, looks asymmetrical, or your child avoids it, it may be a sign they need more support with strength, balance, or motor planning.

At Strive Pediatrics, we use play-based pediatric OT & PT to help kids build the foundation for movement, confidence, and everyday skills.

📌 Save this for milestone tracking
👶 Share with a toddler parent
💬 Have questions about your child’s motor development? DM us or schedule an evaluation — we’re here to help.

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03/16/2026

MYTH: “Educational toys and flashcards make babies smarter.”

Truth: Babies don’t need expensive toys to support brain development. What matters most is connection, movement, and interaction.

Research shows that babies learn best through everyday experiences with caregivers, not through flashy gadgets or flashcards.

Activities that actually support healthy infant brain development include:

✔️ Talking and singing to your baby
✔️ Reading books together
✔️ Floor play and tummy time
✔️ Exploring simple objects and textures
✔️ Face-to-face interaction and play

These experiences help build the foundation for language, motor skills, attention, and emotional regulation.

At Strive Pediatrics, we focus on play-based occupational and physical therapy that supports how babies move, regulate, feed, and interact with the world around them.

📌 Save this post for a reminder that simple play matters most. Share it with a new parent
💬 Have questions about your baby’s development? DM us or schedule an evaluation — we’re here to help.

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03/15/2026

Baby Vision Development: Newborn to 12 Months

Your baby’s vision doesn’t turn on overnight — it develops step by step during the first year of life. As babies grow, their eyes and brain learn to work together to support tracking, depth perception, hand-eye coordination, and movement.

Here’s a quick look at typical infant vision milestones:

✨ 0–1 Month (Newborn Vision)
• Very sensitive to bright light
• Sees high-contrast patterns best (black & white)
• Focuses best 8–12 inches away (perfect distance for faces during feeding)
• Uses mostly peripheral vision

✨ 2–4 Months
• Begins tracking moving objects
• Eyes may briefly cross or wander (common early on)
• Eye-hand coordination starts developing
• More interest in faces and toys

✨ 5–8 Months
• Depth perception develops
• Reaches more accurately for toys
• Stronger color vision
• Crawling begins — helping vision and body coordination

✨ 9–12 Months
• Judges distance better
• Pulls to stand and cruises
• Uses pincer grasp (thumb and index finger)
• Vision works together with balance and movement

🧠 Why vision matters:
Vision is closely connected to motor development, feeding, balance, and learning. Babies develop these skills best through movement, play, and face-to-face interaction.

At Strive Pediatrics, we support babies through holistic infant OT and PT focusing on breathing, feeding, movement, regulation, and sensory development.

📌 Save this checklist for milestone reference
👶 Share with a new parent
💬 If you have concerns about your baby’s development, DM us or schedule an evaluation to learn how early support can help.

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03/09/2026

Myth: “Clumsiness is just a phase.”

Truth: False!! Some children struggle with coordination, balance, and motor planning, and these challenges don’t always resolve on their own.

Kids who appear “clumsy” may actually be working harder than their peers to coordinate their bodies. You might notice:

• Frequent tripping or falling
• Difficulty learning new motor skills
• Trouble catching or throwing a ball
• Avoidance of playground activities or sports
• Fatigue with movement or poor body awareness

These challenges can sometimes be related to motor planning differences, balance difficulties, muscle weakness, or sensory processing needs.

The good news? With the right support, kids can build strength, coordination, and confidence through play-based therapy and movement experiences.

At Strive Pediatrics, we use pediatric OT and PT to help children improve motor skills, coordination, balance, and body awareness so they can move and play more confidently.

If your child seems unusually clumsy or avoids movement activities, trust your instincts.
👉 Save this post for later and DM us or schedule an evaluation to learn how therapy can support your child’s development.

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03/02/2026

Myth: “Fine motor skills don’t affect gross motor skills.”

Truth: Fine motor and gross motor skills are deeply connected.

The brain doesn’t train hands and bodies separately. Strength, coordination, and bilateral integration work as a team.
When children build fine motor skills—like grasping, manipulating small objects, or using tools—it supports:

✔️ Postural control
✔️ Balance and stability
✔️ Bilateral coordination
✔️ Body awareness (proprioception)
✔️ Motor planning

Think of it like a chain:
Strong hands → better trunk support → more confident movement. 💪👣

If a child struggles with handwriting, utensil use, or play with small toys, you may also notice challenges with running, climbing, or sitting upright for long periods. That’s not coincidence—it’s the nervous system asking for more support.

At Strive Pediatrics, we use play-based OT/PT to build both fine and gross motor skills together—so kids can move, play, and participate with more ease.

If your child struggles with coordination, hand skills, or fatigue during play, trust your gut.
DM us or book an evaluation to learn how pediatric OT/PT can support whole-body development.

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03/01/2026

The Importance of Pre- and Post-Release Therapy for Babies with Tongue Ties 🍼💖

If your baby has been diagnosed with a tongue tie, you may be considering a frenectomy procedure to improve their oral function. While the procedure is quick, therapy before and after is essential for the best results! Here's why:

1️⃣ Prepares the Body: Pre-release therapy helps your baby’s muscles relax and get ready for the frenectomy, ensuring a smoother recovery.
2️⃣ Reduces Risk of Complications: It helps avoid issues during the procedure and improves long-term outcomes.
3️⃣ Promotes Comfort: Familiarizing your baby with having their mouth touched reduces stress and anxiety.
4️⃣ Speeds Recovery: Therapy helps babies heal faster and regain full tongue mobility after surgery.
5️⃣ Ensures Long-Term Success: Babies who receive therapy are more likely to maintain improvements in feeding and speech development.
6️⃣ It supports the whole system: not just the mouth
Feeding is full-body work: posture, breath, oral motor skills, and nervous system regulation all play a role.

Post-release therapy also plays a key role in retraining muscles and ensuring a full recovery. 🧠🤱

At Strive Pediatrics, we specialize in holistic infant OT/PT for babies with tongue ties—supporting:
✨ feeding
✨ breathing
✨ oral motor coordination
✨ body tension and movement
✨ regulation and comfort

This isn’t just mouth work. It’s whole-baby care.If your baby has a tongue tie or feeding feels stressful, trust your gut.

DM us or schedule an evaluation to get support before and after release—so your baby can feed and move with more ease.

OralHealth BabyDevelopment StrivePediatrics

Address

2631 Gattis School Road 160 1
Round Rock, TX
78664

Website

http://strivepediatrics.com/

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