Benefits of Movement Therapy

The Empowering Steps Movement Therapy program is designed primarily as a motor planning program. It has seven progressive stages which enables us to score each child's progression, allowing us to maximize the benefits to your child. From all the research we have done, we are the only program with a multi-stage system and a scoring program to monitor progression. Participation in the program has many benefits to your child some of which are listed below.

Physiological Effects

Improvements will be seen in:

• Cardio-respiratory - movement therapy places a high demand on the body - ELABORATE ON THIS
• Immune system - boosts the immune system due to an increase in venous and lymphatic drainage
• Muscle tone - can relax the body in some cases or be used to strengthen in others
• Postural stability and control
• Bilateral, gross and fine motor coordination

Effects on Gross Motor Development

Improvements will be seen in:

• Motor planning
• Timing
• Sequencing
• Anticipation of movement - due to the effects of timing rythm and momentum
• Perception - body image, body part awareness, and positional sense
• Vestibular and proprioceptive systems
• Spatial awareness

Therapeutic Effects

Behavior:

• Eye contact
• Attention (visual and auditory)
• Self regulation
• Initiation and engagement in activities

Social:

• Sessions held in typical and natural environments
• Individual, small group, and parent-child group opportunities available
• Due to cardio-respiratory effects, vocalization is increased.