Differences between treating children and adults

You might think that treating a child is just like treating a small adult, but pediatric physical therapy for children is actually more complex than using the same treatments with smaller bones, muscles, and joints! Let’s dive into why this is.

One complicating factor in pediatrics is that children are continually growing! Bone ossification (the process of converting cartilage into bone) is ongoing and continues throughout the early 20s for some bones in the body. Ligaments and tendons are stronger than an ossifying bone, which means that it is more likely for children to have a fracture than a sprain, and adolescents to develop an apophysitis (stress injury of the growth plate) from overuse than tendonitis like adults would. For children with orthopedic injuries, it is important that fractures and apophyseal injuries are appropriately screened. Children also have different body proportions, and thus different overall body mechanics than adults! We will continue diving a little deeper into pediatric biomechanics later this week .

When treating children with orthopedic conditions, it is imperative for the physical therapist to have a solid understanding of growth and development to ensure a safe rehabilitation after the injury, all while keeping the child’s developmental age in mind. If your child is suffering from an injury, contact us at First Steps to see how we can help!