New methods are used for treating brain problems, including problems at birth, disorders and traumatic injuries. Unfortunately, physical therapists who try these ideas can be tough to find. The increasingly popular method is known as neurodevelopmental therapy, or NDT.
Foundationally, NDT is a way to look at problems on a targeted, individual level. Therapists for kids with disabilities use hands-on methods and the latest machines to guide patients through functional tasks. For example, consider the case of a boy who can't grab a fork might have that goal. The physical therapist might guide the child through lifting the hand, reaching for the utensil and seeing how it feels and then lifting it. It's baby steps, and guided by touch from beginning to end.
The most valuable part of this NDT method is patient goal-setting. For children with special needs, goals may be set by the parents. For adult patients dealing with issues like stroke or TIB, the goal might be learning to reach to a shelf without losing balance. Some of the best physical therapists who have used these techniques say that the patient's view of their own treatment can make all the difference.
Besides the fact that sessions are encouraging, NDT truly is effective. People treated with it need less help and fewer devices and improve at proper positioning. Gains can be made in speech, eating, movement and other occupational therapy tasks.
For kids with disabilities, physical therapists can use NDT to help them have more control. They can learn to bear their own weight, climb stairs, or even learning to crawl and grasp objects. Experts believe that some degree of improvement is realistic for almost any patient, even if they have been diagnosed with lifelong conditions such as cerebral palsy.
The body of research on NDT isn't very extensive, but the topic isn't hotly contested, either. Many of the research papers were about small groups of patients, so aren't widely generalizable. But the ideas are pretty commonsense and a growing number of physical therapists for children and other specialists are trying it.
If you need help with speech, eating and mobility, consider finding a signs of autism in children San Diego CA expert in your area.