In pediatric therapy, physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) often collaborate to support a child’s overall development. While their roles sometimes overlap, they have distinct areas of expertise and focus on different aspects of a child’s growth and independence. Understanding how these professions work together can help parents determine which therapy—or combination of therapies—best meets their child’s needs.
How Are Pediatric PT and OT Different?
Pediatric physical therapy primarily treats physical impairments and improves movement-related functions like muscle strength, balance, coordination, endurance, and mobility. PTs help children with gross motor development, ensuring they can crawl, walk, run, jump, and participate in physical activities with confidence.
Pediatric occupational therapy, on the other hand, is designed to maximize a child’s independence in meaningful daily activities. OTs work on fine motor skills, self-care tasks, sensory processing, and cognitive development, helping children navigate everyday tasks like dressing, eating, handwriting, and social interactions.
While physical therapists address muscle function, gait mechanics, and postural control, occupational therapists focus on sensory processing, executive functioning, and self-regulation to support engagement in daily life.
How Are Pediatric PT and OT Similar?
Despite their differences, PTs and OTs often work toward common goals to help children develop the skills they need for greater independence. Some areas where physical and occupational therapy overlap include:
- Strength and endurance: Both PTs and OTs address muscle strength, as it is essential for movement as well as everyday tasks like sitting upright in a chair, holding a pencil, or maintaining posture at school.
- Balance and coordination: Good balance is crucial for physical activities like walking, running, and jumping but is also needed for daily tasks such as getting dressed, stepping into pants, or climbing onto a chair.
- Achieving developmental milestones: Both PTs and OTs work to help children meet age-appropriate motor, sensory, and functional goals to support their overall growth and participation in daily life.
Why Is Collaboration Between PTs and OTs Beneficial?
When physical and occupational therapists work together, children often experience greater success in therapy. A PT may help a child develop core strength and postural stability, which in turn improves fine motor skills for handwriting or self-care tasks in OT sessions. Similarly, an OT might help a child with self-regulation and sensory processing, allowing the PT to conduct more productive movement-based therapy without behavioral disruptions.
Which Therapy Does Your Child Need?
Some children benefit most from physical therapy, while others may require occupational therapy or a combination of both. If your child has difficulty with movement, balance, or strength, PT may be the best choice. If your child struggles with fine motor skills, sensory challenges, or daily activities like dressing and feeding, OT may be more beneficial.
Both physical and occupational therapy play an essential role in supporting a child’s development, independence, and confidence. If you’re unsure which therapy is right for your child, contact Chicago Kids Therapy today to schedule an evaluation and learn how we can help your child thrive in all areas of daily life.
