14 Mar 2023 
When you think about children with motor disabilities, what comes to mind? Do you imagine a child in a wheelchair who is unable to walk or move around on their own?
You are not alone if this is your image of a child with motor disabilities. However, the development of DMI therapy is disrupting this image and giving children with impaired motor skills a new lease on life.
DMI therapy has revolutionized and offers new hope for children with motor disabilities, helping them to be happy, functioning, and thriving.
But what is DMI therapy? And who can benefit most from this life-changing therapy?
In this blog post, we look at how DMI therapy can help children with motor disabilities and the benefits this therapy can bring.
DMI therapy stands for Dynamic Movement Intervention. It is an extensive therapy that uses a multisensory and motor-based approach to help children with movement disabilities.
DMI treatment is based on the principle that sensory integration, alignment, and physical movement are essential for a child’s development and for improving your child’s impairment.
Licensed occupational and physical therapist, with certified DMI training have a major hand in carrying out this therapy. They guide your child through a series of movement therapy techniques and exercises that helps your child progress through key developmental milestones.
For instance, a therapist might help a child who is not yet walking to learn how to crawl. Once the child masters crawling, the therapist will help the child learn how to walk.
The therapist will also work on other occupational skills to build your child’s independence, such as feeding, dressing, and bathing.
DMI therapy is an evidence-based therapy that has been proven to be effective in improving brain function by reorganizing neural pathways, or neuroplasticity, as studies reflect the benefits locomotor training has on kids with cerebral training.
Dynamic movement intervention was invented in early 2021 by renowned physical therapists Jake Kreindler and Jo-Anne Weltman.
Kreindler and Weltman are experts in the field of child development and motor disabilities, with both of them having a combined clinical experience of over 50 years of experience.
Kreindler and Weltman developed DMI therapy after years of research and working with children with motor disabilities. They saw firsthand the struggles that these children and their families went through and knew that there had to be a better way to help them.
Today, DMI therapy is available to children all over the world through hundreds of DMI therapists and is changing the lives of countless families.
From adapted PE games to occupational therapy, the objective is to continue improving your child’s movement skills so that they can lead a happy and fulfilling life.
Most children with physical disabilities can benefit from DMI intensive therapy.
That includes those who have failed to meet their key developmental milestones or have been diagnosed with a delay in their motor development. This includes children who haven’t started to walk by 18 months or have yet to develop the ability to crawl.
Research has shown that early intervention is crucial for children with motor disabilities. The earlier a child starts DMI therapy, the more likely they are to see significant improvements in their condition.
Regardless of the extent of the neurological deficits or level of cognition, DMI therapy can be instrumental in helping your child improve their motor skills, achieve their developmental milestones, and thrive.
DMI intensive therapy is a promising intervention for children with the following conditions:
With its many benefits, DMI therapy offers new hope to families with children who have motor disabilities.
A few of the many benefits that DMI intensive therapy offers include:
Neurological maturity is the process in which the nervous system develops and matures. This process is essential for a child to develop their motor skills and reach their developmental milestones.
DMI therapy has been shown to stimulate neurological maturity, which results in improved motor skills and function.
Gross motor skills are the large movements of the arms, legs, and trunk. These skills are necessary for a child to be able to sit, stand, walk, run, and climb.
DMI therapy has been shown to improve gross motor skills in children with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other neurological disorders through the development of the automatic motor control system.
Once your child’s larger muscle groups have completely grasped automatic movements, not only can they repeat this movement with ease but they will be able to apply these concepts to smaller, more delicate movements.
DMI treatment is designed to gradually challenge your child so that they can slowly but surely make progress. This approach allows your child to master each level before moving on to the next, ensuring that they are set up for success.
This also allows your child to build confidence and a sense of pride and accomplishment as they progress through their therapy.
Targeted movement therapy techniques that challenge your child’s vestibular, proprioceptive, and tactile systems help to develop postural control. This is the ability to maintain balance and stability while moving.
By improving postural control, your child will be able to sit upright for longer, stand without support, and walk with improved balance and coordination.
The goal of DMI therapy is to help your child be as independent as possible and to improve their quality of life. The
By improving your child’s motor skills, they will be able to participate in activities that they previously couldn’t. This may include playing with their friends, going to school, and leading a more independent lifestyle. Also, the fewer therapists have to intervene and support the child, the more their brain understands to function independently.
In addition, DMI therapy can also help improve your child’s cognitive skills, social skills, and emotional well-being.
With all of these benefits, it’s no wonder that DMI therapy is changing the lives of children with motor disabilities all over the world.
With one step at a time, dynamic intervention therapy is helping children with motor disabilities reach their full potential and lead happy, fulfilling lives.
Whether your child has just been diagnosed or has been living with a motor disability for years, DMI therapy can help them reach their developmental milestones, improve their motor skills, and enhance their quality of life.
If you are interested in learning more about dynamic children’s therapy services, contact us today. We would be happy to answer any of your questions and help you get started on the road to success.
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