Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy

​The Children’s Hospital Physical Therapy Department provides evaluation and therapy services for children and adolescents with disabilities and impairments in order to improve all areas of gross motor function.

The basis of pediatric physical therapy (PT) lies in understanding how a child’s motor performance develops and how it is related to the child’s cognitive development. PT services focus on minimizing the effect of injuries, disease or developmental disabilities on a child’s ability to function. We also specialize in treating orthopedic conditions and post-injury/surgical return to sport.

Conditions

Our therapists are trained in working with children and adolescents from birth to age 21. Conditions that may require our physical therapy services include:

• Developmental Delays
• Genetic Disorders
• Neuromuscular conditions
• Orthopedic disorders
• Sports Injuries
• Decreased mobility
• High-risk infants
• Torticollis

Treatments

Our physical therapists create a customized program which addresses your child’s unique needs. The therapy process includes an initial evaluation, during which we assess the way your child moves, plays and walks, as well as potential postural or alignment problems and sources of pain. After the evaluation, the physical therapist will create a treatment plan.

Physical therapy treatments include the following:

• Therapeutic exercise, such as strengthening, stretching and aerobic exercise
• Modality treatments like heat, ice, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, hydrotherapy and biofeedback
• Developmental stimulation
• Therapeutic and functional activities like balance training, coordination activities, running and riding bikes
• Gait training including treadmill training using body weight support system and Lite Gait
• Orthotic and prosthetic training
• Lower extremity splinting and casting
• Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy
• Equipment assessments, evaluations, fitting and training
• Gait training for post-surgical patients
• Development and institution of home exercise programs

Our physical therapists participate in the following programs and clinics at Children’s Hospital:

• Car seat evaluations for children with special needs
• Equipment evaluations
• Amputee Clinic
• Post-surgical orthopedic rehabilitation
• Hemophilia Clinic

A physician referral/consult is required for all patients. Please have your provider send the referral via EPIC or to any of the below locations:

New Orleans    Phone:  504.896.9551     Fax:   504.894.5547

Metairie           Phone:  504.896.9557     Fax:   504.896.2894

Northshore       Phone: 504.896.3949      Fax:   985.866.3878