Benefits of Early Mobility

Early Gait Training: Positive Outcomes for the Long Term

Think about it. The more you practice, the better you get – at anything. As author Malcolm Gladwell explains in his book “Outliers,” the one point that distinguishes a violinist from a virtuoso is practice- at least 10,000 hours of it. This applies to any field regardless of nature or nurture. So with early gait training, a child with disabilities who is given the opportunity to practice, will have a fighting chance at achieving independent gait.

Early gait training for young children with disabilities has yielded positive outcomes such as improved cognition, muscle function, and skeletal growth. With the appropriate support, even a child with the most severe disabilities has an opportunity to ambulate. Just like their normally developing peers, these children can now experience the world around them, prompting growth and learning through exploration and interaction.

Benefits of Early Mobility with an Emphasis on Gait Training is an informative, research-based paper by Joanne Bundonis, PT, PCS that covers the growing trend of early gait training. Emphasis is placed on the benefits of early mobility and therapeutic treatment approaches with equipment selection. A “must-read” for all pediatric therapists.

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