New techniques are being used to treat developmental and functional problems, including many kinds of congenital, acquired and traumatic problems. However, physical therapists who use these techniques can be difficult to find. The new method is neurodevelopmental therapy, or NDT.
At its core, NDT is a way to look at impairments on a targeted, individual level. Pediatric physical therapists use hands-on techniques and advanced tools to train patients on functional tasks. For instance, imagine a child who can't hold a fork might decide she wants to learn. The pediatric therapist might guide the patient through picking up the hand, finding the object and noticing what that's like and then lifting it. It's baby steps, and hands-on from beginning to end.
NDT is patient-driven, because the kids and other patients must set goals. For kids with disabilities, goals may be set by the parents. For adults dealing with problems such as TBI and stroke, the goal might be learning to reach to a shelf without losing balance. Some physical therapists who have used these strategies say that the patient's view of their own treatment can make all the difference.
Besides the fact that sessions are encouraging, NDT truly gets real, powerful results. People treated with it need fewer assistive devices and less adaptive equipment and find it easier to get to proper positioning. Improvement is possible in eating, speech, movement and much more.
For kids with special needs, physical therapists can use NDT to help them be less dependent. They can learn to bear their own weight, maneuver stairs, or even crawl or stand. Practitioners of this method believe that at least a little improvement is realistic for almost everyone, even those with the most serious conditions.
The scientific research about NDT isn't very thorough, but the subject isn't controversial. Many of the research papers were about just a few patients, so aren't widely applicable. But it all makes sense 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 asperger San Diego, CA expert to help.