Neurodevelopmental Therapy
Our practice utilizes Bodywork methods exclusively to treat the
whole realm of sensory integration and processing dysfunctions.
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KEY CONCEPT: Distal body parts (hands and fingers, feet and toes, mouth and tongue) move best if the proximal core of the body has achieved balanced symmetry. The movement of all body parts is a balance of stability and mobility, controlled weight shifts, and rotation over a stable base of support. Tension or spasticity at far distal body parts reflects tight proximal structures.
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Neurodevelopmental Therapy training guides our clinical decision-making on how babies
and young children move their bodies. We use it as a philosophy to consult with parents.
Our treatment of bodywork methods are rooted in this approach.
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The history of Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT) is a formalized training approach for pediatric and adult neurological rehabilitation and a standard for physical, occupational, and speech-language therapists. Originating in Europe by Berta and Karl Bobath in the 1940s, it offers therapeutic handling methods to treat cerebral palsy, brain injuries, and other neurological disorders. The handling techniques are theorized to entrain normal movement patterns. The basics of NDT are often taught in university therapy programs. Advanced certification in post-graduate training truly prepares therapists for the full-breadth of palpation and handling skills.
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Palpation informs our hands which movements are unavailable for the patient, and then
therapeutic touch contact in handling helps to activate movement patterns. Built around concepts of normalizing posture, body alignments, and weight-shifting needed for transitional movements, handling methods help the clinician evaluate the balance between antagonist and agonistic muscle groups. The NDT methods facilitate weight-shifting in various positions and hold core stability to gain distal extremity ease of movement (arms and hands, legs and feet, eyes and
tongue/lips/jaw).
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Oral-motor and feeding therapy is embedded in the NDT approach of recognizing the whole-
body processing of sucking/breathing/swallowing. The NDT perspective on oral motor training
is one of the gold standards for training practitioners for a whole-body approach towards feeding.
Interventions for improving head and postural control, balance reactions, rib cage and breath
support for swallow, and core/proximal stability held for distal body parts (tongue, jaw, lips,
hands) to move smoothly.
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The foundation of learning afforded by NDT training is astute listening of the hands move subtly
with the baby/child and where imposed movement is needed. The handling skills of NDT are
excellent preparation for all forms of manual therapy.
