Ability Pediatric Therapy

Getting ready for Turkey Day! How cool is this little fella Mrs. Amy made with her friends!?

We recently had the pleasure of donating some kick bands for a local second grade class to use on their chairs! Let’s face it, 2020 has us all a little wiggly in our seats. We got sent these precious notes today and love their kind words and sweet drawings!

MEET US MONDAY!! We have so enjoyed adding Lee to our growing family. He spent six years as a United States Naval Officer before pursuing PT at Brenau. He completed a clinical rotation with us last year and we are so thankful he chose to return to us after graduation. He’s a super fun dude and we are excited to have him aboard. Who is your hero?... It’s cliche, but it’s true... my Dad. What is your favorite treat? Reese’s peanut butter cups! What is the worst household chore? Collecting the garbage to put out for sanitation workers. What do you love most about PT? Getting to teach and play with the kids.

In the spirit of Halloween, do you want to hear something that sounds super scary to therapists and makes our skin crawl? Crawling isn’t an important milestone. We would argue that crawling is one of THE MOST IMPORTANT milestones.... Crawling (on all fours) is essential for muscle strengthening, brain development, integration of primitive reflexes, visual development, bilateral coordination and reciprocal motor patterns, and even fine motor control /handwriting as weight through the palms helps with intrinsic hand strengthening. If you child is trying to skip crawling, or taking a long time to get there, here are some things to look out for that may be affecting them achieving this skill: - can they do a baby sit up? (Core, core, core. Got to have it) - do they feel weak, floppy, or tight? - can they press up onto elbows and hands while on their tummy? - have you tried crawling on different floor surfaces? - does your child spend more than 20-30 minutes a day in a container (bouncers, jumpers, walkers, exersaucer, pack and play, bumble, etc) If you have concerns about your child’s crawling, or just want some tips on how to promote it at home, check out the visuals provided or reach out to us for a PT referral or consultation.

Extending Halloween? Best idea ever! Super Mario Bros (Clermont) & Candyland (Cornelia)... We won’t say it’s a competition, but if you want to share opinions on who did it better, I can’t control the comments Thanks so much for allowing us to be goofy kids alongside your own everyday.

We weren’t able to wear our Halloween costumes last week (Gee thanks, Zeta), so we are having a Halloween re-do! We will be wearing our costumes tomorrow at both clinics! We don’t want our kids to miss out showing off, either, so feel free to wear your costume tomorrow as well!

We will be CLOSED today as many of our therapists and families are without power. Your therapist will be in touch with you about re-scheduling needs.We will be CLOSED today as many of our therapists and families are without power. Your therapist will be in touch with you about re-scheduling needs.

We had a Wonderfully Wacky Wednesday!

We will open at 10am tomorrow. Please let the office know should you be unable to attend. We will keep you posted should we need to delay or cancel further. STAY SAFE!

Stay on the lookout for weather based closures for tomorrow. We are remaining OPEN at this time, but will update here should anything change.Stay on the lookout for weather based closures for tomorrow. We are remaining OPEN at this time, but will update here should anything change.

We got spirit, yes we do! We got spirit, how ‘bout you!?

Perfect day for PJs! We should make every Monday pajama day

WEAR YOUR COSTUME TO THERAPY NEXT WEEK! You can follow along with our themes each day, or simply wear whatever costume you would like!

Do you ever look through photos of your baby and notice their head is turned or tilted the same way in every picture? You could be dealing with torticollis. Torticollis is an abnormal position of a baby's head that is caused by a tight neck muscle called the sternocleidomastoid. When this muscle is tight on one side, it causes the baby's head to tilt towards the tight side and turns the chin towards the opposite side. The tight muscle makes it hard for the baby to hold his/h...er head upright and they can't fully rotate their head to look around. Torticollis can happen for many reasons, and some babies are more at risk than others. Torticollis is often caused by the baby's position in the womb. When they're in such a tight space, their head can be tilted and the muscles grow in a tightened position. Babies in a breech position are much more likely to develop torticollis. Torticollis can also be caused by trauma/injury during delivery. Babies who don't have regular tummy time or spend a large amount of time in "containers" such as car seats, swings, bouncy seats, etc. are also more at risk for developing torticollis. Babies with torticollis often have "plagiocephaly", a flattening of the skull which can be noticeable if you look at their head from above. You may also notice your baby has a preference for using only one hand. Hand preference shouldn't develop until much later, and torticollis can cause this hand preference because it affects the shoulder/arm as well as the head. You may notice your baby will only turn their head one direction. If you breastfeed, they may have difficulty nursing on one side and have a side preference. Healthcare providers used to take a "wait and see" approach with torticollis, but early intervention makes a huge difference in a quick recovery! Young babies are much easier to stretch than older babies. Torticollis can affect a baby's ability to reach their gross motor milestones, and it can affect a baby's head shape (which can require a helmet if left untreated). PTs can assess your child's motor skills, range of motion, and head shape and can come up with a specific plan to help them improve. They will teach you stretches and exercises to do at home with your baby. They will also give you repositioning tips and advice on tummy time. Referral before 2-3 months old is ideal to help babies need less therapy and fully recover their range of motion! Frequent floor time and tummy time will allow your baby to move freely and strengthen their neck muscles. Limiting time in containers such as swings, bouncers, etc will also help their neck muscles develop because these devices can hold the baby's neck in the same position and restrict their movement. Switching the direction of the baby in the crib each night is an easy way to encourage them to turn their head both directions. For example, place their head to the left on odd nights and to the right on even nights!

Does your child have trouble with paying attention, sitting still in a chair, handwriting, riding a bicycle, or always seem to be slumping or leaning on something? Let’s get to the CORE of the problem. Weak tummies could be to blame! One thing that nearly every child that comes through our doors will work on is strengthening their core: whether their goals are for feeding independence, sports injury recovery, handwriting, speech sounds, or coordination. The core is so impo...rtant to success with any of these skills. Without a solid core, we will begin to show signs of pain or delays in other areas (remember our toe walking discussion??) Your core muscles include not just those six pack abs (rectus abdominis ), but your transverse abdominis, internal and external obliques, along your back with the erector spinae and multifidus, and on the bottom of the spine with pelvic floor muscles and glutes ( ). We’ll even throw in our secret weapon, the serratus anterior! When we don’t have our core stabilized, it makes it hard for us to accomplish tasks with the same ease or accuracy we would otherwise. Imaging painting a wall mural while hanging from a swinging rope....While on the rope, you will be directing more of your attention to not falling to the floor instead of where your paintbrush is (hello, wiggly kids in school), or won’t be able to fully complete those tiny brush strokes needed for your mural detail. You also set yourself up for some muscles cramps and injury from trying to just to get the job done so you can go home and rest... Wouldn’t it be much easier if you were standing on a solid, sturdy floor or ladder? That’s where your core comes in! Working on strengthening our cores is something you can (and probably should) work on alongside your child! Help them gain new skills AND help take your own back pain away! Here are some fun ways to tackle that core: - Sit on a dynamic surface: yoga ball, scooter board, or even a backless stool - Make games out of traditional core exercises, like high five sit ups or ball toss with a rotation - Change positions: do puzzles or homework in side sitting, kneeling, or on all fours - Animal wa

Does your child walk in their tiptoes like a ballerina? Is it that big of a deal? Will they just grow out of it? They are just playing around, right? Littles who are first learning to cruise and walk will often have postures that sound the alarm to parents, such as pronated ankles or bowed legs, as they are building strength and awareness in this new weight-bearing stage. These, when first weight bearing, can be part of typical development. Toe walking, however, is a behavio...r that, while common, is not cited in the literature as a part of normal development and is not something children simply grow out of. This becomes even more of a concern when children stay on their toes for extended periods or if you notice your child avoiding or becoming distressed when putting their heels down. Toe walking can have many causes, such as being associated with diagnoses like Cerebal Palsy, ADHD, and ASD. Children with low muscle tone and general weakness will often toe walk as a compensation for ankle, hip, and core instability. These kids typically have pronation and will move onto the balls of their feet to align their ankles for more support. Kids who have sensory processing challenges may avoid feeling surfaces on their feet or, alternatively, seek the increased pressure provide from shifting weight onto a smaller surface. Prolonged toe walking can shorten the heel cord and cause further alignment and muscle imbalance in the knees, hips, core, and back. This then leads to delays in gross motor skills such as running, squatting, and navigating stairs or uneven terrain. What can you do? First, talk with your pediatrician about your concerns and seek out a PT evaluation. This is not something a child will grow out of and early intervention is KEY. A PT will guide you through specific exercises tailored to your child. Here are some things your PT may suggest that you can do at home with your toe walker: - Sensory Play - 1 pound ankle weights during play - Standing on inclines or cushions - Supportive shoes or bracing - Stretching If you have concerns about your child, always feel free to reach out to us for a consultation!

MEET US MONDAY! Meet our sweet SLP, Stephanie! She is a part time speech therapist who shares her time between us, Habersham schools, and coaching swim for Tallulah Falls! She’s a busy gal, and we are so grateful to have her! ... What is your favorite decade? The 90’s, gotta love color block clothing Do you play an instrument? I used to play piano and guitar. I would love to be able to play the ukelele, but no time now! What do you love most about Speech? Seeing kiddos being able to communicate their needs and desires effectively.

Celebrating all things PT! Share the love with your favorite physical therapists this month! We will be posting some PT tips and tricks for your kiddos, so stay tuned. Drop us a comment if there is anything you would like to learn more about!