NeuroFit Kids

06/18/2026

Children with poor head control struggle antigravity trunk and neck extension. As a result, they often develop decreased segmental mobility at the spine and weakness in postural extensors.

This set-up is one way to decrease postural demands required by antigravity extension. Engagement of both arms further supports improved proprioceptive input and periscapular activation so that the head can have a stable anchor upon which neuromotor control can build.

Can you think of a way to progress this activity? Drop your thoughts below!

developmentaldelay

06/18/2026

For babies with spina bifida, surgical scars can cause movement restrictions when the skin and underlying tissue do not glide well. As a result, it can affect trunk and pelvic mobility, positioning tolerance, and comfort during developmental activities.

Therapeutic tape is one tool we may use for gentle scar mobility techniques to support better tissue movement.

This particular technique demonstrated here is taping for scar lifting, which is designed to create a small amount of lift at the skin level and encourage improved tissue glide.

A few important considerations:

✔️ Is the incision fully healed?
✔️ Is the skin healthy with no redness, irritation, or open areas?
✔️ Does the baby tolerate touch and handling around the scar?
✔️ Are we seeing any signs of discomfort, stress, or skin sensitivity?
✔️ Is this technique appropriate for this child’s medical history?
✔️Has a test strip been applied and allergic reactions ruled out before attempting this intervention?

Scar care should always be individualized, especially for children with spina bifida, altered sensation, or a history of surgery.

Parents: please do not try taping over a surgical scar without guidance from your child’s medical team or trained therapist.

Therapists: Make sure you are comfortable with the technique before using it as intervention. As always, please make sure to monitor skin, specifically on this population.

Questions or thoughts? Drop them here ⬇️

06/18/2026

Food for thought here 👇🏽

Poor weight bearing ability goes way beyond “weakness” because the motor system is only one piece of the puzzle.

Assuming a child has a hard time with weight bearing because they are weak and leaving it at that can be problematic. I can almost guarantee you the issue is multifactorial.

Here are some questions to ponder when you see poor weight bearing in supported standing:

- Have you assessed this child’s somatosensory awareness? Do they even know they have legs? No, for real. Do they?
- Is tactile defensiveness affecting their ability to achieve and maintain contact with the ground?
- Does the child benefit from vestibular input? In other words, have you moved beyond static standing?
- Have you considered tactile and auditory cues?
- Is high or low muscle tone affecting limb position?
- Is alignment limiting their ability to access weight bearing in the first place?
- Is regulation playing a role in how much they can tolerate and participate?
- Is the child actually weak, or are they having difficulty activating the right muscles in response to sensory input?

Whole child, whole body. Understanding the “why” leads you to the “how”: How to treat!

I promise you, there is so much more to consider than “they are just so weak.”

pediatricphysicaltherapy

01/08/2026