Pediatric physical therapy, motor development and sensory integration
A warm welcome to DeveloBaby.com. My name is Maria Schultz Appelt. I am a pediatric physical therapist (authorized in Denmark), author, speaker and clinic owner, and I am also a wife, daughter, sister, friend and mother. On this site you will find knowledge about children’s motor development, sleep and senses, you can buy my physical therapy exercise programs, and you can book a consultation with me.
Baby and pediatric physical therapy
Baby and pediatric physical therapy is an active, parent-involved and evidence-based treatment of motor and sensory challenges in children. Modern pediatric physical therapy uses functional analysis to assess what is causing a child’s motor challenges. Once the cause is found, the findings can be worked on in a targeted way through individually adapted exercises, until the body and nervous system adapt.
Pediatric physical therapy is not a quick fix, but has a lasting effect, because the muscles and the nervous system (re)learn optimal movement patterns. As a rule, babies are born on a “motor track” that takes them through a series of motor milestones. But some babies are “derailed” from this motor track, for example by a preferred side, back dominance, tension, prematurity, low muscle tone or something else. So at heart, pediatric physical therapy is about helping the child back onto their motor track, so that the milestones are reached with good quality and the child builds a strong motor foundation. When the body works as it should, joy of movement, social participation and health are affected in a positive direction.
I have developed a range of motor exercise programs with simple everyday exercises that strengthen this important motor foundation, and you can also visit me for a consultation at my clinic in Aarhus, at Babytjekket in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, or online.
Motor development
Gross motor development generally follows the same order of milestones: from holding up the head and lying on the tummy, through rolling, belly crawling and crawling, to pulling up to stand and walking. Many babies practice several milestones at the same time, and in some periods things move fast, while in others it looks as if not much is happening. The pace differs from child to child: some babies are a little faster and others a little slower, without that necessarily being a problem. It is the quality of the movements, more than the child’s age itself, that gives a strong motor foundation.
Read more about average motor development and follow your baby’s motor development month by month from 1 to 12 months, with ideas for play along the way.
Baby sleep and sensory integration
In babies, the ability to process sensory input is still maturing. That is why some babies need a lot of help to settle or to sleep. They may have a great need to be rocked and held very close, or to suck and fiddle with something. Maybe they also move their arms and legs or their whole body just when they are meant to be settling down. When a baby seeks a lot of sensory input to find calm, it is called sensory seeking, and the restlessness you see in the body is also called motor restlessness. It is completely normal and part of the way the nervous system matures. But if a baby gets enough of the sensory input the body is seeking during the day, it can often be easier to find calm when it is time to sleep. For babies from 4 weeks to 2 years, I have gathered the best and easiest sensory exercises, along with knowledge about baby sleep, in the program DeveloBaby Sleep.
For children from 2 to about 12 years, I have gathered sensory stimulating exercises and sensorimotor play in the program Sensory Integration.
My book “Sansevenlig Hverdag”
A Danish guide for parents on understanding and helping children who are working overtime.
A sensory-friendly everyday life is one where the senses get the right amount of stimulation. Neither too much nor too little. That means fewer of the impressions that overwhelm the child, and more of the sensory input the body seeks in order to regulate itself. Small changes in everyday life can often make a big difference to calm, sleep, participation and well-being.
I have written a book about this. In Sansevenlig Hverdag, I explain how the senses and the nervous system’s ability to regulate itself are connected with children’s behavior and well-being. You also learn to read what your child’s actions tell you about what they need. Finally, you get a long list of games, exercises and small adjustments that can actually be done in a busy everyday life. The book is written for parents of children aged 2 to 12. The book is available in Danish.
Talks and presentations
I give talks, presentations and courses for both parents and professionals, for example in daycare centers and schools, in health visitor services, at workplaces and in parent groups. I like to turn complex knowledge into something you can use in everyday life right away, and I tailor the content to you, from a short talk to a course over several days. I give my talks in Danish and in English.
Topics include a sensory-friendly everyday life (Sansevenlig Hverdag), for example for professionals, in families with children, with ADHD and autism or for premature children, and motor development from newborn to toddler. You will find all topics and target groups under Courses and talks.
You book me as a speaker through Athenas (website in Danish), where you will also find prices and more information.
About me
My name is Maria Schultz Appelt, and I was born in 1981 in Tarm, Denmark. I am married to my German-born husband, Uwe, and together we have two wonderful children, Oscar (August 2014) and Isabella (January 2017). I am a pediatric physical therapist at heart and love working with children, with well-being and joy of movement at the center.
Education
I qualified as a physical therapist in January 2007 and am authorized in Denmark. Over two decades as a clinical physical therapist, I have completed a wide range of courses in MT (musculoskeletal physical therapy), manual therapy, sports physical therapy, dynamic stability and MDT (McKenzie neck and back method).
Since 2016, I have continued my training in pediatric physical therapy, both in Denmark and internationally. This includes diagnostic courses and various courses in manual treatment of babies and children. I have also completed the training in Pediatric Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS), which has given me a valuable bridge between the principles of dynamic stability and my work with babies and children.
Evidence-based pediatric physical therapy
To me, evidence-based advice means that the treatment your child receives from me is in line with the treatment given in the public health system. It is essential to me that my professional expertise, and so the advice I give parents, is in line with what is best practice in Denmark. With me, you will not get alternative treatment, even though it may be justified in some cases. It is just not part of my practice, because I believe that as a licensed physical therapist I have a responsibility to be able to back up my practice professionally.
I advise you based on evidence, clinical guidelines, clinical reasoning and a thorough, professionally grounded functional analysis of your child’s individual movement patterns.
Exactly the same applies to my Instagram. I only share knowledge that is in line with what is considered good physical therapy practice in Denmark, and in line with the recommendations of the Danish Health Authority.
The latest from Instagram
Follow me on Instagram @develobaby, where I share evidence based motor development knowledge and fun! ❤️
