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Category: Reflexes

Enhancing Mobility with Orthotics and Equipment for Children

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Orthotics and Equipment Assessment for Kids: Supporting Mobility and Participation in Daily Activities

At Carolina Therapy Connection, we understand how important it is for children to actively participate in daily activities, whether playing with friends, engaging in classroom activities, or exploring the world around them. For children who may have difficulty with mobility or need assistance to maintain proper alignment, orthotics, and equipment can make all the difference in their ability to move and thrive. Our skilled physical therapists are here to assess the need for these special tools, helping children achieve their goals and independence.

What Are Orthotics and Equipment?

Orthotics are custom-made braces designed to support or correct joint alignment. For children, these devices can support weak or injured limbs, improve walking patterns, help with mobility, and promote progress towards functional goals. Equipment, on the other hand, may include specialized seating systems, walkers, or other assistive devices that help children participate in activities of daily living.

Why Are Orthotics and Equipment Important?

Orthotics and assistive equipment are essential for children with physical challenges as they help with:

  1. Joint and Trunk Alignment: Children who struggle with maintaining proper posture or alignment may benefit from orthotics that correct these issues and allow them to sit or stand more comfortably and safely.
  2. Mobility: Devices like braces or walkers can support movement and increase a child’s ability to move independently, improving their confidence and participation in everyday activities.
  3. Physical Therapy Goals: Specialized orthotics and equipment can be part of a comprehensive physical therapy plan to help children achieve their physical therapy goals, such as walking, running, or sitting for extended periods.

What to Expect During an Assessment

When you bring your child in for an orthotics and equipment assessment, our experienced physical therapists will work closely with you and your child to understand their needs. We’ll assess the child’s current level of mobility, any physical challenges they are facing, and overall physical development. Based on this assessment, we’ll determine the appropriate equipment or bracing to meet your child’s specific needs.

We also recommend local vendors who can provide custom orthotics and equipment, including options like Turtlebracing. Turtlebracing is an innovative system that uses re-modifiable material to create braces tailored to a child’s unique needs for both upper and lower extremities.

What Is Turtlebracing?

Turtlebracing is a cutting-edge bracing system that uses flexible materials to create comfortable and adaptable braces. These braces can be adjusted as a child’s needs change, providing continued support as they grow. Turtlebracing is an excellent option for children requiring a custom approach to their orthotics or equipment. Our therapists are trained to remold and fit these braces in-house. 

How Carolina Therapy Connection Can Help

At Carolina Therapy Connection, we are dedicated to helping children achieve their mobility and physical therapy goals through orthotics and specialized equipment. Our physical therapists will work with you to assess your child’s needs and offer solutions that support their development, independence, and active participation in daily life. In addition to providing in-house solutions like Turtlebracing, we can connect you with trusted local vendors to find the right equipment for your child. If you want to learn more about orthotics and specialized equipment and how we incorporate this approach into therapy, including intensives, don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule an evaluation. You can also use this link to explore our pediatric intensive therapy services.

 

Transforming Pediatric Care with Galileo KIDS

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Revolutionizing Pediatric Therapy: Introducing Galileo KIDS

At Carolina Therapy Connection, we’re dedicated to providing the most innovative tools and techniques to help children reach their full potential. That’s why we’re excited to offer Galileo KIDS, a cutting-edge therapy device designed to support children across multiple developmental and therapeutic goals. Whether your child is working on physical, occupational, or speech therapy, this technology can be a game-changer!

What is Galileo KIDS?

Galileo KIDS is a whole-body vibration therapy platform specifically designed for children. This scientifically developed device uses side-alternating oscillations to mimic natural movement patterns, engaging muscles and stimulating the neuromuscular system. The platform is customizable, allowing therapists to adjust the intensity to meet the specific needs of each child.

Originally developed for medical and therapeutic use, the Galileo system has been backed by extensive research demonstrating its effectiveness in:

  • Improving muscle strength and tone
  • Enhancing balance and coordination
  • Supporting bone density and joint flexibility
  • Boosting circulation and reducing spasticity

This evidence-based approach makes it an invaluable tool across various therapy disciplines.

How is Galileo KIDS Used in Therapy?

Physical Therapy:
The Galileo KIDS is a powerful tool for building strength and mobility. It activates the stretch reflex, a natural muscle contraction, at a much faster rate than traditional exercise. This can help children:

  • Develop core strength and stability
  • Improve balance and gait/walking patterns
  • Enhance flexibility and range of motion/movement
  • Manage conditions like cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or hypotonia

Occupational Therapy:
For children working on fine motor and sensory integration, the Galileo KIDS provides unique opportunities for growth. The gentle vibrations help:

  • Regulate sensory processing and calm overstimulation
  • Improve hand-eye coordination through targeted activities
  • Strengthen hand, wrist, and shoulder muscles critical for daily tasks like writing, dressing, or eating

Speech Therapy:
While vibration therapy might not seem directly tied to speech, it can play an essential role in improving motor control and posture, which are foundational for effective communication. Therapists use Galileo KIDS to:

  • Enhance core strength for better breath control and vocal projection
  • Address oral motor coordination through improved posture and alignment
  • Support neurological pathways critical for speech and language development

Why Choose Galileo KIDS for Your Child?

The benefits of Galileo KIDS go beyond its cutting-edge technology. It’s:

  • Engaging: Children enjoy the dynamic, interactive nature of the platform.
  • Time-Efficient: Sessions are short but highly effective, with benefits often noticeable after just a few uses.
  • Safe: Built with children in mind, Galileo KIDS offers gentle yet impactful therapy tailored to each child’s age and ability.
  • Versatile: With applications across multiple therapy disciplines, it provides a holistic approach to supporting your child’s development.

Research-Backed Results

Studies have shown that whole-body vibration therapy can improve strength, bone density, and motor function in children with neuromuscular disorders and other developmental challenges. Its proven ability to enhance sensory processing and reduce spasticity makes it a trusted tool in modern pediatric therapy.

Experience Galileo KIDS at Carolina Therapy Connection

We’re proud to bring this innovative therapy device to our clinic. Whether your child is working on gross motor skills, fine motor coordination, or speech development, Galileo KIDS offers a fun, effective way to support their journey.  This service is covered under insurance when used as part of a therapeutic treatment program.

Ready to learn how Galileo KIDS can benefit your child? Contact us today to schedule a consultation and see this remarkable tool in action. Together, we’ll help your child grow stronger, more confident, and ready to take on the world!

 

How Reflex Integration Therapy Supports Children’s Development

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What is Reflex Integration?

 

Reflex Integration therapy is a type of therapy designed to help children improve their motor control, balance, and cognitive functioning by integrating primitive reflexes. These reflexes are automatic movements that babies are born with, and they are essential for survival in the early stages of life. However, as children grow and their nervous system develops, these reflexes are meant to fade naturally.

When these primitive reflexes remain active after the appropriate developmental period, they can disrupt a child’s ability to perform everyday tasks. This is where Reflex Integration therapy comes in—it helps children reorganize their nervous system by reducing the impact of these retained reflexes, which can improve their motor skills, balance, and overall functioning.

How Do Primitive Reflexes Affect Kids?


Primitive reflexes are involuntary movements that we all experience as babies. Examples include the Moro reflex (startle reflex) and the rooting reflex (turning the head when something touches the cheek). As children develop, these reflexes should naturally disappear and give way to voluntary movements and coordination. However, if they do not integrate properly, they can lead to challenges in:

 

  • Motor Control: Retained reflexes can cause difficulty with fine and gross motor skills, affecting activities like writing, tying shoes, or riding a bike.
  • Balance and Coordination: Children may struggle with activities requiring balance, such as running, jumping, or swimming.
  • Cognitive Functioning: These reflexes can affect focus, attention, and other cognitive functions necessary for learning and processing information.

 

How Reflex Integration Therapy Can Help


Reflex Integration therapy targets these retained reflexes through a series of gentle exercises and activities that encourage the brain to reorganize itself. The goal is to help the child gain better control over their movements, improve their balance, and enhance their ability to process information efficiently. This therapy is particularly helpful for children who have developmental delays, learning disabilities, or motor coordination issues.

By working with a trained therapist, children can learn to integrate these reflexes, leading to:

  • Improved motor skills and coordination
  • Enhanced focus and concentration
  • Better balance and posture
  • Increased confidence in physical and academic activities

 

When is Reflex Integration Therapy Needed?


This therapy can benefit any child who is having difficulty with motor control, balance, or coordination due to retained primitive reflexes. Some common signs that a child may need Reflex Integration therapy include:

  • Trouble sitting still or focusing in school
  • Struggling with tasks requiring fine motor skills, like handwriting or using utensils
  • Difficulty with gross motor activities such as running, jumping, or climbing
  • Poor posture or uncoordinated movements

 

How Carolina Therapy Connection Can Help


At Carolina Therapy Connection, we specialize in helping children with a range of developmental challenges, including motor coordination issues and learning difficulties. Our therapists use Reflex Integration techniques to help children reorganize their nervous system and improve their physical and cognitive skills. If you’re interested in learning more about reflex integration and how we incorporate this approach into therapy, including intensives, please feel free to reach out to us to schedule an evaluation. You can also use this link to explore more about our pediatric intensive therapy services.

 

What are primitive reflexes?

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A reflex is an automatic and instantaneous response to a sensory stimulus. Remember when you were a child at the doctor’s office and they tapped your knee with a small mallet to check if your leg kicked upwards? You didn’t decide to kick your leg, it just kicked. From infancy, reflexes are vitally important for proper development of the brain, nervous system, body and sensory systems. Some reflexes are meant to stay with us our whole lives. Others are designed to be dormant after their function is fulfilled – also called integration. Check out this awesome resource from Tools to Grow to learn more about specific reflexes and how they impact a child’s function during their daily life. Primitive reflexes are adaptive responses that develop before birth and typically integrate as the brain matures. Primitive reflexes are important for survival and development early in life; however, it is also important that they become integrated as the child grows. Retained reflexes can cause sensory issues, postural disorders, decreased motor skills, and attention/behavioral issues.

What causes retention of primitive reflexes?

Some potential causes of retention of primitive reflexes include c-sections, trauma during birth, exposure to toxins, decreased tummy time during infancy, decreased time crawling, chronic ear infections, or head injuries during infancy among many other unknown causes.

Five Commonly Retained Primitive Reflexes and their Impact on Occupations

1. Moro Reflex

The Moro Reflex is known as the “startle” reflex. This reflects is a fight or flight reaction. It is present at birth and should be integrated by four months. Common effects of retention include emotional outburst, motion sickness, and difficulties with vision, reading, and writing.

2. Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) 

The Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) is known as the “Fencer’s pose”. It assists in the birthing process. It appears at birth and should be integrated by nine months. Common effects of retention include decreased eye-hand coordination, poor handwriting, poor balance, difficulty with reading and math, and difficulty focusing.

3. Symmetric Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR) 

The Symmetric Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR) is an essential foundation for crawling. It appears at six to eight months and should be integrated by nine to eleven months. Common effects of retention include poor posture, W sitting position, poor eye-hand coordination, messy eater, and low muscle tone.

4. Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) 

The Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) is commonly seen in children with ADHD diagnoses. It appears before birth and should be integrated by three and a half years of age. Common effects of retention include decreased balance, poor spatial awareness, toe walking, weak muscles, poor posture, and difficulty with climbing.

5. Spinal Galant 

The Spinal Galant Reflex also assists in the birthing process. It appears at birth and should be integrated by three to nine months. Common effects of retention include bed wetting after potty training, hyperactivity, postural issues including scoliosis, attention issues, and decreased endurance.

What are integrated reflexes?

Integrated reflexes are important for developing motor control. A child needs motor control to maintain proper posture at a desk in school, ride a bike, read a book, cross midline, write, and get dressed. A child with integrated reflexes has normal movement patterns to complete these functional tasks at home and at school. A child with unintegrated reflexes could benefit from skilled reflex integration therapy which will essentially train a child’s brain by establishing an efficient movement pattern that supports higher level motor skills or cognitive tasks.

How do you know whether or not your child has integrated these reflexes?

There are many common areas of difficulty that may suggest a retained reflex including the following:

  • “Bouncing” Child: Constantly moving, can’t sit still on a chair, hyperactive
  • “Noodle” Child: Leans on everything, rests head on table
  • “Shirt Chewers”: Constantly chewing on shirts or pencils, and touches everything
  • “Emotional Child”: Challenges with regulating emotions, easily frustrated or upset, difficulty with utilizing age appropriate coping strategies to calm body
  • School Performance Challenges: difficulty with reading, handwriting, language/speech, poor sitting balance and immature grasp on writing utensils
  • Coordination Challenges: Chronic body aches, poor endurance, fatigue, muscle weakness, poor concentration, fidgeting, disorganization

How do I know If My Child Has Retained Primitive Reflexes and What Can I Do?

Once your Occupational Therapist suspects a retained reflex, he/she will educate the caregiver on the importance of carryover for treatment recommendations. Caregivers play an important role in seeing progression in their child’s everyday activities. It is typically recommended that the child completes a set of tailored exercises to meet your child’s needs, 5-10 minutes per day, for 30 consecutive days in order to see any progress. Your therapist may recommended a reward or sticker chart in order to keep your child motivated towards an end goal. Progress can be noted short term and over 9-12 months. In addition to exercises, your Occupational Therapist will make recommendations for modifications in the school and home environments which may include changing positioning during school work, movement breaks, sensory techniques, relaxation techniques, decreasing auditory and visual stimulation, and organizational skills, just to name a few!

In order to determine whether your child would benefit from direct treatment for Reflex Integration, it is recommended that your child be evaluated or screened by an Occupational Therapist at Carolina Therapy Connection. Give us a call at 252-341-9944 today to schedule your FREE occupational therapy screening with one of our experienced and knowledgable OT’s. 

Helping Your Child Learn to Walk

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Concerns About Your Child’s Ability to Walk

Are you concerned that your child hasn’t started walking yet? Development and achievement of motor milestones happens at a pace unique to each child. However, if your child has not yet started walking independently by 18 months it may be time to reach out to your local Physical Therapist for an evaluation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledges that these walking-related physical milestones are typically met by age 1:

  • pulling up to stand
  • walking while holding on to furniture
  • may be taking a few independent steps
  • standing holding on and may stand alone

Delayed walking can occur for a variety of reasons – core weakness, lower extremity weakness, vestibular dysfunction, gravitational sensitivities, impairments in the motor plan or coordination for walking, and balance deficits to name a few. During a Physical Therapy evaluation we will assess your child’s strength, movement of their extremities and trunk, and balance. We will also screen for any neurological and vestibular concerns, as well as keep an eye out for any sensory involvement or gravitational sensitivities.

How can you begin helping your child learn to walk?

Here are some activity ideas that may be used by your Physical Therapist and that you can try at home to jump start those unsupported steps and help your child walk:

    1. Activities to promote weight shifting between lower extremities, as well as single leg stance balance needed for unsupported walking. Cruising laterally (side to side), across corners, around corners, and pivoting between surfaces. This can be done at a horizontal surface (i.e. coffee table or couch) or a vertical surface (wall, window, mirror, etc.). As your child masters pivoting between two surfaces, increase the distance between the surfaces to promote unsupported standing and stepping to reach the other side.
    2. While standing supported at the couch, coffee table, wall, window, etc. offload one of your child’s lower extremities. You can prop their foot on a pillow, stool, etc. or simply hold their foot up off the ground. As your child masters this while standing supported, try while they are standing unsupported and interacting with a toy with both hands. Shift their weight over one leg while stabilizing their knee on that side. Lift their other leg to prop on a stool, pillow, your leg, or simply hold their foot off the ground.
    3. Supported walking for increased duration and distance. You can start by having your child walk while holding your hands. Progress them from holding 2 hands to just holding 1 hand. Move from holding hands up, overhead to holding hands, forearms, or elbows at shoulder height. They can also engage in supportive walking using a walker/push-toy. Note: Always provide supervision when having your child use a push walker/toy. It is recommended to only use push toys and NOT a walker that your baby has to be physically placed inside of. 
    4. Walking while standing in a small hula hoop/ring to promote reduced support and more variable support. Have your child hold on to the ring with both hands while you support the front or back of the ring. As they master this, wean away your support.
    5. Walking while holding a toy (ring, action figure, etc.) to promote walking with less support and eventually no support. Walk with your child while holding the toy together. As your child’s confidence increases, wean away your hold on the toy to promote walking with less support.
    6. Supported walking with a rubber band or hair tie to promote walking with more variable support. If your child will maintain a grasp on a rubber band or hair tie, try walking with them while holding the rubber band or hair tie together.
    7. Supported walking (hand hold or upper extremity support on a wall) while stepping over uneven surfaces (i.e. a pillow of blankets, couch cushions, pillows, etc.).
    8. Initiating unsupported stepping. Situate your child in standing with their back against the wall. Stand in front of your child and hold out an incentivizing toy, food, etc. to promote weight shift forward away from the wall, transition into unsupported standing, and progression to unsupported steps forward to reach you.

How can Carolina Therapy Connection help your child learn to walk?

Pediatric physical therapy promotes independence, increases participation, facilitates motor development and function, improves strength and endurance, enhances learning opportunities, and eases challenges with daily caregiving. When developmental progress is brought into question, it can be difficult for a parent. We know there is nothing as stressful as seeing other children advance quicker than your child, leaving them left behind as they develop at a slower pace than expected. It is important to understand that slower does not mean never! In fact, there are many late walkers who are able to overcome the delay and catch up with other children their age without concern.

If you have concerns about your child’s ability to walk, motor development or anything else, call Carolina Therapy Connection at 252-341-9944 or email us at in**@ca***********************.com to get started today! We accept all major insurances and would love to help your family and kiddo maximize their independence and potential to grow healthy and strong!

Blog Written By: Joann Flaherty, PT, DPT

Joann Carolina Therapy Connection Blog Greenville NC

Helping your child learn to walk Carolina Therapy Connection Greenville and New Bern NC

All About Occupational Therapy

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What is Occupational Therapy? 

The main goal of OT is to increase quality of life so that the client can continue to participate in their personal interests as well as take care of their own needs. Through therapeutic use of self, a strong relationship of trust is built between client and therapist that will help the client to grow in skills leading to increased independence. Occupational therapists improve, rehabilitate, or maintain individuals’ performance to complete everyday occupations (IADLs & ADLs).

What is the role of an Occupational Therapist?

As an occupational therapy assistant, working in the pediatric setting, it is my responsibility to implement activities and tasks that will improve my clients ability to perform at an age-appropriate level. In this setting, you will commonly see OTs working on improving age-appropriate grasp and legibility with handwriting, sensory processing, oral motor skills for feeding, core strengthening for postural control, hand strengthening to increase fine motor skills, visual motor/perceptual skills for copying shapes and or letters.

What are IADLs?

IADL’s stands for Instrumental Activities of Daily Living that involve your home and community. Below is a list of different IADLs an individual may complete regularly.

  • Care of others
  • Care of pets
  • Communication management
  • Driving and community mobility
  • Financial management
  • Health management and maintenance
  • Housekeeping
  • Food preparation
  • Religious and spiritual activities
  • Shopping

What are ADLs?

ADL’s stands for Activities of Daily Living and are basic self-are tasks an individual engages in daily.

  • Bathing
  • Grooming
  • Toileting
  • Dressing
  • Feeding
  • Transfers
  • Abulation

How Can OT Benefit Children? 

Occupational therapy can benefit children of all ages with a variety of needs and diagnoses including:

At CTC, our occupational therapist provides screenings, assessments, consultations, and treatment for those concerned about: 

  • Cognitive skills
  • Gross & fine motor skills
  • Self-care tasks
  • Self-feeding tasks
  • Sensory processing
  • Visual processing & perception
  • Social skills

How can Carolina Therapy Connection help?

Our occupational therapists will complete an initial evaluation to become familiar with your child’s strengths, weaknesses and daily routine. Following the evaluation, they will create an individualized treatment plan and goals to address any concerns with development. We take pride in making therapy enjoyable and fun for your child, so that they can be motivated to live their life to their greatest potential.

We use evidence-based treatment approaches including:

If you have questions regarding your child’s development or want to learn more about occupational therapy, call our clinic today at 252-341-9944 or visit our referrals page HERE. We provide services in Greenville, Goldsboro and New Bern, North Carolina. One of our licensed and board certified therapists will be happy to provide you with a FREE developmental screening today! We can’t wait to begin this journey with your family!

Blog Written By: Lacey Smith, COTA/L 

Importance of Developmental Reflexes

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What are developmental reflexes?

A reflex is an automatic and instantaneous response to a sensory stimulus. Remember when you were a child at the doctor’s office and they tapped your knee with a small mallet to check if your leg kicked upwards? You didn’t decide to kick your leg, it just kicked. There are many types of reflexes like this one and almost all of us have them. In fact, we’re born with most of them. The reflexes we are born with are called primitive reflexes and the ones we develop during the first years of life are called integrated reflexes. From infancy, reflexes are vitally important for proper development of the brain, nervous system, body and sensory systems. Some reflexes are meant to stay with us our whole lives. Others are designed to be dormant after their function is fulfilled – also called integration. Check out this awesome resource from Tools to Grow to learn more about specific reflexes and how they impact a child’s function during their daily life.

What are primitive reflexes?

Primitive reflexes are present at birth and should be integrated by 12 months to two years of age. Reflexes are the basis of our nervous system and our ability to move. Reflexes are automatic movements that happen without conscious thought that help us to survive, search for food, seek protection, avoid danger, and to walk.  Reflexes originate in the brain stem, which is the area of the brain responsible for survival. If these reflexes are not integrated, the body stays in “survival” and “stress” mode which can cause difficulty with concentration, anxiety, poor behavior, deficits in coordination, and poor performance in developmental skills and school tasks. There are many risk factors for retained primitive reflexes including, but not limited to, the following: multiple births, prematurity, c-sections, lack of tummy time, higher instances of alcohol and drug abuse, and poor awareness of developmental stages. 

What are integrated reflexes?

Integrated reflexes are important for developing motor control. A child needs motor control to maintain proper posture at a desk in school, ride a bike, read a book, cross midline, write, and get dressed. A child with integrated reflexes has normal movement patterns to complete these functional tasks at home and at school. A child with unintegrated reflexes could benefit from skilled reflex integration therapy which will essentially train a child’s brain by establishing an efficient movement pattern that supports higher level motor skills or cognitive tasks.

How do you know whether or not your child has integrated these reflexes? 

There are many common areas of difficulty that may suggest a retained reflex including the following:

  • “Bouncing” Child: Constantly moving, can’t sit still on a chair, hyperactive
  • “Noodle” Child: Leans on everything, rests head on table
  • “Shirt Chewers”: Constantly chewing on shirts or pencils, and touches everything
  • “Emotional Child”: Challenges with regulating emotions, easily frustrated or upset, difficulty with utilizing age appropriate coping strategies to calm body 
  • School Performance Challenges: difficulty with reading, handwriting, language/speech, poor sitting balance and immature grasp on writing utensils
  • Coordination Challenges: Chronic body aches, poor endurance, fatigue, muscle weakness, poor concentration, fidgeting, disorganization

What does treatment look like?

Once your Occupational Therapist suspects a retained reflex, he/she will educate the caregiver on the importance of carryover for treatment recommendations. Caregivers play an important role in seeing progression in their child’s everyday activities. It is typically recommended that the child completes a set of tailored exercises to meet your child’s needs, 5-10 minutes per day, for 30 consecutive days in order to see any progress. Your therapist may recommended a reward or sticker chart in order to keep your child motivated towards an end goal. Progress can be noted short term and over 9-12 months. In addition to exercises, your Occupational Therapist will make recommendations for modifications in the school and home environments which may include changing positioning during school work, movement breaks, sensory techniques, relaxation techniques, decreasing auditory and visual stimulation, and organizational skills, just to name a few!

In order to determine whether your child would benefit from direct treatment for Reflex Integration, it is recommended that your child be evaluated or screened by an Occupational Therapist at Carolina Therapy Connection. Give us a call at 252-341-9944 today to schedule your FREE occupational therapy screening with one of our experienced and knowledgable OT’s. 

Importance of Developmental Reflexes Carolina Therapy Connection Greenville NC