As a physical therapist, I get a lot of questions about physical therapy. I have come to realize that many people are not familiar with physical therapy as a field, unless they or someone they know has attended PT. Even fewer people are familiar with pediatric physical therapy.
In this blog, I share my best responses to some common questions I get asked as a pediatric physical therapist!
A: Absolutely! Like other rehab disciplines, physical therapy can be covered by insurance. PT is usually ordered by a doctor but may be initiated via direct access, depending on the state. PTs then provide services to patients and bill third-party payers for those services.
A: There is no specific answer to the cost of physical therapy because each insurance/payer will vary. Depending on deductibles and premiums, there may be a copay associated with each PT appointment. Once again, that will be on an individual basis based on what insurance or payer is involved in the services. If you have a specific question regarding your billing, reach out to your insurance or our billing department.
A: At NAPA Center, our sessions are 50 minutes long across all disciplines. Regarding duration of treatment, our intensive physical therapy sessions run the full course of the 3-week intensive, 5 days per week. Depending on intensive schedules, some of our kiddos see multiple physical therapists, who may utilize different techniques (DMI, NeuroSuit, etc). The duration for traditional/weekly physical therapy may be as long as PT is warranted. Part of a physical therapist’s job is to justify services to payers as long as PT is deemed necessary. Plans of care and goals are regularly updated to reflect our kiddos’ progress and ensure we promote progress in goal areas. This provides us with a unique opportunity to spend a lot of time with our kiddos as they grow and develop and help to build a special relationship between therapist and kiddo.
A: Pediatric physical therapy is a specialized discipline specifically related to the growth and development of children. While some physical therapy may focus on recovery from injury or surgery, pediatric PT also applies to the acquisition of motor skills across the spectrum of development. Pediatric PT is a highly individualized discipline, and the specifics of what PT looks like will be unique to the kiddo based on their needs and goals.
A: To me, the role of a pediatric physical therapist is to help kiddos access the world around them. That takes many forms. We help promote gross and fine motor milestones via games and play. We support independence of movement and environmental access, that may include instruction in assistive devices, like wheelchairs or walkers. We address meaningful goals for the kiddo and their family, based on clinical reasoning and developmental appropriateness.
Pediatric PTs promote growth, development, and independence, specific to the kiddo and their needs to access the world around them.
A: Physical therapists work on whatever is appropriate for the child. I realize that is a vague answer, but it is impossible to define what we do in PT in a way that would apply to all kiddos. Every child who gets PT is going to have an individualized plan of care based on clinical reasoning and meaningful goals that are unique to that individual. Regarding gross motor milestones, we address a wide range of goals, including safety and functional independence. So, no, we do not only focus on milestones. For example, a kiddo may learn to walk, but PTs will also address gait mechanics, safety, level of assistance, etc. to make that kiddo as successful as possible with their newfound motor skills.
Every child who gets PT is going to have an individualized plan of care based on clinical reasoning and meaningful goals that are unique to that individual.
A: While it is entirely possible for a kiddo to only get physical therapy, the majority of kiddos who come to NAPA receive services including other disciplines: occupational therapy, speech therapy, feeding therapy, etc. At NAPA, we highly value interdisciplinary collaboration. The team structure of NAPA promotes communication between collaborators in order to help make each session as successful as possible.
One of the things that most interested me at NAPA, as a therapist, was the multidisciplinary approach to care. The advice and coaching I receive from other providers is one of the most valuable assets to me, as a physical therapist.
A: At NAPA, we specialize in the abilities of children of all ages. We do not have a minimum or maximum age for services at NAPA Center.
A: We specialize in the treatment of neurological diagnoses, but we do not restrict access to our services based on diagnosis.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the questions someone may have for a pediatric physical therapist. But I hope this sheds some light on what we do and what it means to be a pediatric physical therapist. Being a NAPA Pediatric PT is an incredibly unique and rewarding experience, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to make a difference for our NAPA families and kiddos.
NAPA Center is a leader in pediatric physical therapy, offering the most innovative tools and methods worldwide through intensive or weekly therapy sessions. Contact our team today to discover how NAPA’s individualized approach to pediatric therapy can help your child or loved one.
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Camden Selby is a pediatric physical therapist at NAPA Center LA. Camden was born and raised in a small town in Pennsylvania and moved to Los Angeles to be a part of the NAPA family. Camden has a 1-year-old mini-golden doodle named Koda and enjoys hiking, reading, and theme parks.
