Seizures, strokes and other neurological events can be a huge setback for children who are already struggling with disabilities. Though doctors once thought that physical therapy after such an event had only limited potential for undoing the damage, new studies are more hopeful than ever about the benefits of physical therapy.
Patients who received physical therapy shortly after a stroke or other neurological event began improving more rapidly. Doctors thought that physical therapy should be delayed after a stroke for up to one year. New studies indicate that the sooner physical therapy can be done, the more beneficial it is. If your doctor wants to delay physical therapy following a stroke, consider finding a doctor or physical therapist that will begin work immediately. Some skills and functions can see immediate improvements by beginning physical therapy much sooner.
Studies have also shown that physical therapy can continue to improve functions long after a stroke or seizure. Previously, it was believed that the benefits of physical therapy waned in time. Newer studies indicate that physical therapy can continue to offer benefits years, even decades, after a neurological event such as a stroke. Walking was one of the best forms of physical therapy.
Studies also show that the physical therapy sessions do not have to be high tech to be of benefit. Simple physical therapies done in a patient’s home, such as walking and other every day skills, were at least as beneficial as their high tech, in hospital alternatives. Walking without a treadmill or other machine improved balance better than walking with a machine.
These studies are giving hope to children who have suffered a stroke due to another illness or as a reaction to a medication. What once had utterly devastating consequences can now be seen with more hope. Continued physical therapy and other therapies can continue to provide benefits to the child even after they reach adulthood. And therapy is no longer thought to be more beneficial in a hospital than at the child’s home, where they and their families are most comfortable.