Pediatric Physical Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury
in Boise, ID
After a spinal cord injury, your child may need support with sitting, standing, moving, or participating in everyday activities safely and confidently. At Kaleidoscope Pediatric Therapy, our pediatric physical therapists provide personalized care to help your child build strength, improve mobility, and develop greater independence at home, school, and during play.
What Is a Spinal Cord Injury?
A spinal cord injury occurs when damage to the spinal cord disrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body. It may result from a fall, car accident, sports injury, infection, or another medical condition.
The effects depend on where the spinal cord is injured and how much of it is affected. Some children experience changes in muscle strength or sensation, muscle stiffness, or difficulty with balance and coordination. Others may have limited movement in parts of their body or use braces, a walker, or a wheelchair.
How Physical Therapy Helps Children With Spinal Cord Injuries
Once medically stable, the pediatric physical therapists at Kaleidoscope can help your child build movement skills for daily life. Treatment is based on your child’s injury, abilities, and goals. Sessions may focus on:
- Building strength and endurance for sitting, standing, using a wheelchair, or walking
- Improving balance, posture, and coordination for safer, more controlled movement
- Maintaining flexibility and comfortable joint movement to reduce stiffness and prevent muscles and joints from becoming tight
- Practicing new ways to move between positions and use braces, walkers, wheelchairs, or other supportive equipment
We also partner closely with your family, providing practical guidance to help you support safe movement and carry new skills into your child’s everyday routines.
What Physical Therapy for Spinal Cord Injuries May Look Like
Physical therapy is designed to feel more like play than work for your child. Depending on your child’s needs, sessions may include reaching games, obstacle courses, and other engaging activities that build strength, stamina, balance, and coordination. When appropriate, our physical therapists may also incorporate:
- Aquatic therapy to practice movement with less strain
- LiteGait body-weight support treadmill training for added support during standing and walking
- Spinal stimulation therapy to improve communication between nerves and muscles during sitting, standing, reaching, or stepping
Why Choose Kaleidoscope Pediatric Therapy
Since 2012, Kaleidoscope Pediatric Therapy has helped children in the Boise, ID, area build the skills and confidence they need to participate more fully in everyday life. Our 6,000-square-foot sensory-motor gym allows our physical therapists to tailor activities to your child’s changing needs. Our wheelchair-accessible treatment rooms and Hoyer Lift help children move safely between wheelchairs and therapy tables. Families can also borrow supportive equipment from our lending library to use at home.
Reach Out to Kaleidoscope Pediatric Therapy
If your child needs ongoing support after a spinal cord injury, contact Kaleidoscope Pediatric Therapy at (208) 375-4200 or fill out our online contact form to schedule an evaluation. We look forward to helping your child explore new movements, celebrate their progress, and work toward greater independence at their own pace.