The AKAP Way
The AKAP Way is a specific kind of physical therapy for pediatrics combining AKAP stretching, addressing primitive reflexes, and using Dynamic Movement Intervention exercises to treat the whole child.
AKAP Stretch: While adults may enjoy a pulling sensation during a stretch, this is not suitable for pediatric physical therapy. The AKAP stretch is a “release” program designed to address trunk restrictions, enabling children to transition into different positions more easily. We use the AKAP stretch to treat all cases of Torticollis, and we have achieved remarkable success.
Child's Abilities
Physical therapy is a taking comprehensive look at a child’s abilities, past medical history, and contributing factors to a delay in gross motor skills, and then making a plan of care to reach specific goals. I work closely with families through every step of the process, ensuring alignment—which is what enables ultimate success
In my 22 years as a physical therapy professional, I’ve gathered a toolbox of interventions and ideas to treat my patients’ unique needs. Along with a neurology-specific background, I combine AKAP Way Stretching while incorporating basic strengthening principles.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT) helps children with disabilities, developmental delays, and other conditions to participate in activities of daily living. And just as AKAP takes a unique approach to PT, our OT methods are intentionally distinctive.
AKAP OT therapies concentrate on the whole child. Our holistic approach to treating your kids goes beyond addressing only fine motor skills to include the integration of several different modalities of treatment that perfectly align with the physical therapy we offer at AKAP. While all these therapy techniques are important, there are contraindications for each. We will develop an OT program that is best suited for your individual child based on their needs and diagnoses.
Trauma-informed care
Identifying and addressing trauma occurring in childhood has been a missing piece in pediatric therapy. Childhood trauma is so powerful because it occurs during sensitive neurodevelopmental periods, impacting fundamental psychosocial processes. Lots of our kiddos have been hospitalized from an early age, even requiring more hospitalizations as they grow, which can lead to setbacks that impact development. Trauma-informed care helps us to view our patients through this unique lens, understanding the neurological, biological, and emotional impacts of trauma when “behaviors” seem to be inhibiting therapy. At AKAP, we approach trauma-informed care through three phases: Stabilization, Processing, and Reconnecting.
Astronaut Training
Proprioception—or knowing where our body is in space—is essential for our ability to confidently regulate our movements and learn new fine and gross motor skills. The vestibular system is vital to survival by detecting movements of the head to alert other sensory systems. Astronaut Training Protocol, based on research from A. Jean Ayres, enhances vestibular/cochlear support for centering and balancing the body in gravitational space, timing and rhythmicity of movement, 3D spatial awareness, adaptive behavior in a dynamic environment, regulation of orientation, arousal, sustained attention, and emotional stability.
Kids who may not be moving on a typical timetable don’t receive appropriate sensory input to their vestibular system. Astronaut training allows us to ensure the vestibular system is functioning so that all sensory systems are working successfully. With this therapeutic use of movement (with specific auditory input) on a specialized rotating board, we can help kids to become more “organized”, which can be calming to their senses. This can impact muscle tone and confidence, gradually progressing movement to being joyful and not fearful.
“We often kids with primitive reflexes like the Moro reflex. Astronaut Training can help with the gravity component of this reflex, helping kids who could once only tolerate being on their backs to be in a more upright position.”
Dana Broughton, MPT
AKAP Bounce
Developed by Eddy Anderson in 1972, Rebound Therapy is defined as a specific methodology, assessment, and program using trampolines to provide opportunities for enhanced movement patterns, therapeutic positioning, exercise, and recreation for children with additional needs. Rebound Therapy is definitely not just about Jumping.
AKAP Bounce benefits
- Sensory processing
- Balance
- Muscle tone modulation
- Cardiorespiratory system engagement
- Communication
- Strengthening
- Secretion clearance
- Stimulation of digestive system
- Cross-curricular skills
- Self-regulation
AKAP, specifically trained in Rebound Therapy, employs this technique as part of our comprehensive OT approach. Most of the kids we see at AKAP have muscle tone issues—either too much tone or not quite enough. Using the trampoline, doing gentle, low-amplitude bounces can reduce hypertonia, while vigorous, high-amplitude bounces can increase tone by stimulating stretch receptors in kids with hypotonia.
Studies show that trampoline-based programming significantly improved the motor integration, bilateral coordination, and balance in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and it has shown to improve the motor functions of children with spastic Cerebral Palsy.1
1Kora, A.N. and Abdelaziem, F.H., 2020. The Effect of Rebound Therapy on Gross Motor Functions in a Child with Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Case Study. BioScientific Review, 2(3), pp.1-7.
INTENSIVES
Intensives are available for kiddos who could benefit from a strong jumpstart, have plateaued, or just need a little extra help. We believe the intensive model is ideal for both PT and OT. These are one-, two-, or three-week intensives, with one or two one-hour visits per day.