PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

Physical therapy addresses a student’s ability to participate in school, work, leisure, self-care activities, and to access their environment in a safe and functional manner. In the educational setting, therapy is provided to students with disabilities when this service is necessary for the student to benefit from their educational program and the school’s curriculum.

Physical therapists bring expertise in six therapeutic domains to the educational setting including:
  • Functional positioning
  • Mobility
  • Safe accessibility of school environment
  • Activities of daily living (such as transfer training and body mechanics)
  • Endurance, respiratory, muscle strength, cardiac, alertness and orientation
  • Adaptive equipment needed to facilitate the previously listed skills

Written Reports are generated and forwarded to the district and/or supervisor of special education, to assist the multi-disciplinary team in determining the need for services. Reports include:
  1. Identification of how specific therapeutic domains contribute to and/or challenge a student’s performance in school.
  2. Assessment and description of student’s performance in specific areas of school, such as the classroom, lunchroom and playground, rather than solely on the basis of formal test results.
  3. Discussion of how intervention will improve the student’s performance in school and activities.

The Primary Goal is to: Provide educationally relevant services that assist each student in compensating for sensory awareness/processing, neuromuscular, motor and perceptual deficits, functional positioning, mobility, accessibility, endurance, strength, activities of daily living, and orientation deficits which prevent access to an appropriate education program and the curriculum.

PROGRAM FEATURES:
  • Clinical Supervision and Management
  • Individual Student Evaluations
  • Program Recommendations for Educationally-Relevant Activities
  • Program Recommendations for Adaptive Physical Education
  • Recommendations for the Adaptation of Classroom Equipment
  • Consultation to Teachers and Staff
  • Inservice Training for Staff
  • Parent Communication
  • Team Planning and Participation in IEP Development
  • Staff Training

For more information about Physical Therapy:
See the Bucks County Intermediate Unit Physical Therapy Brochure
Visit the American Physical Therapy Association at www.apta.org
Visit the Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association at www.ppta.org

Also, see the link for Frequently Asked Questions at http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/phy_ther.html

For information about sports activities for children with special needs:
Visit The Miracle League of Northampton
Visit Special Olympics of Bucks County

Contact your child's school to discuss his/her need for school-based physical therapy. 

The Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 is not responsible for content or the links on these pages.
The BCIU does not sponsor or in any way approve of any activities of these organizations.