Pediatric Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy

Duke pediatric physical therapists help infants, children, and young adults improve strength, balance, coordination, and movement due to delay in gross motor development or after an injury or illness. Pediatric physical therapy is playful, creative, and collaborative. Our goal is to help your child or young adult participate in meaningful activities within their family and community.

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Therapist works with a child on reaching in standing

How Pediatric Physical Therapy Can Help

Activities that a pediatric physical therapist may evaluate and address include rolling, sitting, standing, walking, running, jumping, climbing, and moving in a wheelchair or other adaptive equipment. In our outpatient clinics, through virtual care, and in the hospital, we work with your child to address:

Range of motion, strength, flexibility, endurance and cardiovascular fitness
Coordination, posture, and balance
Safety during independent or assisted mobility
Ways to manage or reduce pain
Large movements of the body that use the big muscles in the arms, legs, and torso

In-Hospital Care

We provide physical therapy services to children who are hospitalized for conditions that require intensive or complex medical care across a wide range of specialties including neonatology, cardiology, oncology, neurology, neurosurgery, organ transplantation, orthopaedics, and more.

Evaluation and Treatment

Our hospital-based physical therapists evaluate and treat children in their hospital rooms as well as in our hospital therapy gym. We partner with each child and family to support recovery, promote development, and help children participate as fully as possible in the activities that are meaningful to them.

A Team Approach to Your Child’s Care

Your child’s care is a team effort. We work closely with their medical team; occupational and speech therapists; and child life staff to provide comprehensive and coordinated rehabilitation. Before discharge, we work with your family to identify strategies, equipment, and community resources that can help your child continue making progress outside the hospital.

Related Treatments

Duke PediBridge

The PediBridge program offers virtual physical therapy to provide timely, accessible therapy beyond the hospital and clinic. Through secure video visits, therapists partner with caregivers to address developmental needs, promote participation in daily routines, and monitor progress. Those who may benefit from PediBridge include:

Infants and young children being discharged from the NICU, pediatric inpatient units, or specialty services
Children with developmental concerns or at risk for developmental delay
Families awaiting Early Intervention, outpatient therapy, or other developmental services
Children who would benefit from caregiver coaching, developmental monitoring, or home-based recommendations
Families facing barriers to accessing in-person therapy immediately following discharge

Outpatient Care

Comprehensive Evaluation

The first visit with a physical therapist is an evaluation. The evaluation includes observation, testing, and interviews with parents and children to determine what support is needed.

Your Child's Care Team

The evaluating therapist may see your child for treatment, or a different therapist may become your child’s therapist. Because Duke University Hospital is a teaching hospital, physical therapy students and volunteers may be part of your child’s care, with your permission. They are closely supervised by their clinical instructors.

Identifying Goals for Treatment

If physical therapy services are recommended, we work with your family to identify potential goals and a schedule for visits. Treatments take place in several spaces in our therapy locations, including private exam rooms, open play spaces, and a therapeutic pool.

Our Locations

Duke Health offers locations throughout the Triangle. Find one near you.

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Why Choose Duke

Family-Centered Care

When developing and implementing a treatment program, we consider your family’s needs and your child’s unique strengths while we strive to meet your goals. Our therapists work with your family and engage your child or young adult in fun activities that match their age and abilities.

Team-Based Approach

Duke pediatric physical therapists collaborate with specialists including occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, psychologists, neurologists, orthopedists, orthotists, nutritionists, assistive technology professionals, and more. This allows us to provide a full spectrum of care to help your child succeed.

We Strive for the Gold Standard

We are committed to providing high-quality care. In addition to licensure requirements and the North Carolina Physical Therapy Practice Act guidelines, many of our physical therapists are board-certified and have specialty certifications in pediatric areas.

This page was medically reviewed on 09/22/2026 by

Kara Lardinois, PT, DPT, C/NDT | Pediatric Physical Therapist