Physical Therapy in Philadelphia & surrounding counties · Ages birth – 18 years

Pediatric physical therapists are licensed clinicians with advanced training in gross motor development, musculoskeletal function, neurological movement disorders, and rehabilitation. They work with children from infancy through adolescence to improve strength, balance, coordination, postural control, gait, and endurance. The goal is to help children move through their world with confidence — whether that means taking first steps, keeping up on the playground, or returning to sports after an injury.

Common indicators include: delayed gross motor milestones (late to roll, sit, crawl, stand, or walk), hypotonia or hypertonia flagged by a pediatrician, frequent falls or clumsiness beyond what’s typical for their age, an asymmetrical gait pattern, poor endurance, avoidance of physical activity, toe-walking, or difficulty recovering strength and mobility after an injury or surgery. If your pediatrician has raised any concerns about your child’s motor development, PT is a logical next step.

Your child’s physical therapist will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of gross motor skills using standardized, age-normed assessments alongside clinical observation of how your child sits, stands, walks, runs, and moves. They’ll assess muscle tone, strength, reflexes, balance, coordination, joint range of motion, and gait pattern, and ask you about your child’s developmental history and daily activity. From there, they build a personalized plan of care with specific, measurable goals.

We’ll ask what you’re noticing — how your child moves, what they’re finding hard, and how it’s affecting their daily life and activity. We’ll give you a clear picture of whether a PT evaluation makes sense and what the process looks like.

Yes — PT is covered by most major insurance plans. We’re in-network with most providers and will verify your benefits and handle any prior authorization before you start.

Children under 3 may qualify for free PT through Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention program — no diagnosis required. In Philadelphia, Early Intervention is also available for children aged 3–5. Call us and we’ll help you figure out the right starting point.

Sessions are active, structured, and designed to be engaging — particularly for younger children, where play-based movement activities are the primary vehicle for therapeutic work. Your child’s physical therapist designs a progressive program targeting their specific goals: building core strength and postural control, improving balance and proprioceptive awareness, correcting gait mechanics, or rebuilding strength and range of motion after injury. Families are encouraged to be present, and your therapist will show you home exercises to reinforce progress between sessions.

Sessions are typically 30-45 minutes, depending on insurance coverage.

Yes. Consistency supports better outcomes in PT — your child’s therapist tracks progress closely, adjusts the program as your child develops, and builds the rapport that makes active physical work feel manageable and even enjoyable.

Choose between our Roxborough (7201 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia PA 19128) or Northeast Philadelphia (1917 Welsh Road, Philadelphia PA 19115) locations, both with on-site parking.

It depends on the nature of your child’s presentation. Post-injury rehabilitation may involve a focused short-term course; developmental conditions like hypotonia or cerebral palsy typically involve longer-term, ongoing support. Your therapist sets clear goals from the outset and reviews progress regularly so the plan always reflects where your child is.

Active involvement. Families are encouraged to observe sessions, understand the goals, and carry out prescribed home exercises. Progress in gross motor development accelerates when therapeutic work extends into everyday routines and play.

Common, especially at the start. Our therapists are experienced at building rapport with children who are anxious, easily frustrated, or reluctant — using playful engagement and positive reinforcement to make sessions feel manageable rather than demanding.

Tell us. We take the therapeutic relationship seriously, if something isn’t working, we’ll find a better match.

We offer OT, Speech Therapy, and Mental Health services under one roof. If your child’s PT therapist identifies additional needs — in sensory processing, fine motor function, or emotional regulation — we can coordinate care in-house, so you don’t need to manage multiple providers.