Teri Essig , MPT

Physical therapists (PTs) are licensed health care professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. PTs examine each individual and develop a plan using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. In addition, PTs work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles. PTs: 1.Diagnose and manage movement dysfunction and enhance physical and functional abilities. 2.Restore, maintain, and promote not only optimal physical function but optimal wellness and fitness and optimal quality of life as it relates to movement and health. 3.Prevent the onset, symptoms, and progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities that may result from diseases, disorders, conditions, or injuries. 4.Treat conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems. 5.Address the negative effects attributable to unique personal and environmental factors as they relate to human performance. 6.PTs provide care for people in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, schools, sports and fitness facilities, work settings, and nursing homes. State licensure is required in each state in which a PT practices.

A Developmental Therapist is a person qualified by completion of an approved program in Developmental Therapy and where applicable credentialed by the state and practicing within the scope of the credential, or credentialed by completion of education experiences as approved by the state and practicing within the scope of that credential or, where state credentialing does not exist, certified by the Board of the Developmental Therapy Association. A developmental therapist evaluates children's global development in order to identify areas of developmental delay whether arising from physiological, neurological, or environmental factors, or a combination of factors; and designs, implements, and modifies therapeutic interventions for the child and the family to promote the child's acquisition of skills in a variety of developmental areas, including cognitive processes and social interaction in order to maximize functional independence and developmental homeostasis, and improve the quality of life at home and in the community; and provides consultation for the parents and other professionals working with the family on global development.

Early intervention services are an effective way to address the needs of infants and toddlers who have developmental delays or disabilities. The services are made available through a federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA provides states and territories with specific requirements for providing early intervention services to infants and toddlers with special needs. In turn, each state and territory develops its own policies for carrying out IDEA and its requirements. Broadly speaking, early intervention services are special services for eligible infants and toddlers and their families. These services are designed to identify and meet children's needs in five developmental areas. These areas are: physical development, cognitive development, communication, social or emotional development, and adaptive development.