Physical Therapy in a Multidisciplinary World
Helping kids develop the skills they need to thrive can be a complex puzzle. In order to complete the entire picture, it is necessary to understand how each piece fits together and supports the child as a whole. Alone, this task may feel overwhelming. But with the support of a multidisciplinary team–each member an expert at their part of the puzzle-–it is possible to achieve great outcomes.
At The Pediatric Place, our physical therapy team has the opportunity to collaborate with a wide range of professionals—from occupational therapists to speech therapists, mental health professionals, applied behavior analysts, and dietitians—to provide the best therapy possible for each child they serve.
“Collaborating allows me to see the big picture of the child as a whole,” explained physical therapist and TPP co-owner Jessi Frencken. “I can see how the gross motor component of development works to improve so many other aspects of the child’s life and how the other areas are working to support gross motor skills.”
TPP physical therapist Anna Person recently experienced the benefit of multidisciplinary collaboration with a client who faced challenges in both mobility and feeding. Because they work in the same building each day, Anna was able to work closely with the feeding therapist to develop strategies to support postural control during meals. “This collaboration significantly improved not only their strength and coordination but also their ability to enjoy mealtimes comfortably, enhancing their overall quality of life,” Anna explained.
Jessi experienced a similar victory for a child shared by TPP’s physical and speech therapy teams. “I was working with a child that had very low muscle tone,” she remembered. “The speech therapist indicated how difficult it was for the kiddo to complete 2-3 word utterances because he didn’t have enough breath support to maintain that duration. I used this information to focus on improving core strength to increase pressure within the abdominal cavity, and within a very short time he began speaking in short sentences!”
TPP’s physical therapy team agrees that interdisciplinary collaboration not only improves outcomes for the children on their caseload; it also enhances their own practices and fosters a supportive team environment.
“My favorite thing about working at TPP is the sense of community and shared purpose among the team,” explained physical therapist Paige Gunter. “Everyone is passionate about helping children thrive, and that energy is contagious. We celebrate every child’s small and big victories together. Being part of a multidisciplinary team means I’m constantly learning and growing as a professional, which makes this work so rewarding.”
Are you a pediatric physical therapist? We’d love to talk to you about joining our team!
By Amy Wolcott, M.S. CCC-SLP