Intensive DMI and Therasuit Therapy

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Intensive therapy provides the push a child needs to move to the next level in their development. Three weeks of intensive therapy can bring about progress in a child's motor skills that may normally take six to twelve months with traditional outpatient therapy. Believe Pediatric Physical Therapy's program focuses on a child's abilities and works on building their skills to enhance their motor development and take them to the next level and beyond.

Our program's focus on repetition of gross motor movements trains the child's brain to make these movements automatic. Once a child has mastered a movement they can utilize it in their everyday activities of sitting, rolling, crawling, transitioning, walking and playing.

Believe's intensive therapy program is customized to fit the needs of each child. It consists of direct physical therapy for up to four hours per day, five days per week for three weeks. Longer or shorter intensive sessions may be recommended for some patients as needed. All intensive sessions include a full physical therapy evaluation and plan of care including goals written with the specific needs and goals of each family in mind. 
A typical day of intensive therapy includes:

  • Preparation time, including myofascial release, DMI (Dynamic Movement Therapy) and/or NDT (Neuro-Developmental Therapy)

  • Exercises and functional activities in the Therasuit. 

 

Who Can Benefit?

There are a wide variety of diagnoses that can benefit from suit therapy. They include, but are not limited to:

  • Cerebral Palsy

  • Developmental Delay

  • Traumatic and Anoxic Brain Injuries

  • Spina Bifida

  • Ataxia

  • Dystonia/Athetosis

  • Hypertonicity

  • Hypotonicity

  • Post-Stroke

  • Down Syndrome and other genetic disorders

Contraindications to use of the suit include hip subluxation greater than 50% and severe scoliosis. However, patients with these conditions may be eligible for a modified intensive treatment session without use of the suit. 

Precautions are necessary for use of the suit in individuals with:

  • Hip subluxation less than 50%

  • Uncontrolled seizures

  • High blood pressure

  • Hydrocephalus with a V-P shunt

  • Diabetes

  • Heart conditions

  • Kidney problems

  • Osteoporosis/ Osteopenia

Patients with any of these conditions will require special medical clearance to participate in an intensive suit therapy session. 

Please contact us if you have any questions about whether your child is eligible for intensive suit therapy.