Pediatric Physical Therapy for Gross Motor Delays in Children
Helping Your Child Build a Foundation for Movement and Confidence
We understand that seeing your child struggle with motor milestones can be concerning. You want to see them run, jump, and play with ease, but navigating developmental delays feels overwhelming.
At Eyas Landing in Chicago, we partner with your family to transform potential into progress. Our specialized physical therapy program is designed to help children with gross motor delays build the strength, coordination, and confidence they need to thrive.
Physical Therapy for Gross Motor Delays: Your Partner in Progress
Our approach to physical therapy is built on empathy-driven, evidence-based care that is tailored for your child’s success. We know that every child’s journey is unique. That’s why our highly qualified physical therapists start by conducting a comprehensive evaluation to understand your child’s specific strengths and challenges. From there, we create a completely individualized treatment plan focused on achieving your family’s goals.
Our therapists are specialists you can trust, with deep experience in addressing a wide range of gross motor challenges, including:
- Difficulties with rolling, crawling, or walking
- Poor balance and coordination
- Clumsiness during play or daily activities
- Trouble with running, jumping, or climbing stairs
- Low muscle tone or weakness
How Our Services Support Your Child’s Development
We make therapy meaningful by integrating play-based activities that motivate your child and make building skills feel like fun. Our goal is to develop functional abilities that your child can use in their everyday life—at home, at school, and on the playground.
Our services focus on strengthening key developmental areas:
- Core Strength and Stability: Building a strong foundation for all movement.
- Balance and Coordination: Improving the ability to move safely and efficiently.
- Motor Planning: Helping the brain and body work together to learn new movements.
- Gait and Mobility: Enhancing walking patterns and the ability to explore their environment.
- Endurance and Stamina: Increasing energy levels for sustained play and activity.
At Eyas Landing, we deliver care where it works best for you. We meet your family where you are by offering therapy in our state-of-the-art Chicago clinic, in your home, at school, or via telehealth. This flexibility ensures your child is comfortable and that the skills they learn transfer seamlessly into real-world settings.
Take the Next Step for Your Child
You don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Let us provide the support your family needs every step of the way. If you have concerns about your child’s motor development, your next step is to connect with our team. Together, we can build a plan to help your child achieve their next milestone and unlock their full potential.
Schedule a consultation today to learn how our specialized physical therapy services can help your child build confidence, one milestone at a time.
Physical therapy for gross motor delays can also be supported with collaboration across our pediatric development specialists. Click below to learn more about our pediatric therapy services.
- Pediatric Physical Therapy in Chicago
- Gross Motor Milestones
- Occupational Therapy for Sensory Processing in Chicago
- Physical Therapy for Early Intervention in Chicago
- Pediatric Speech Therapy in Chicago
“Our daughter, Sophia, has cerebral palsy and, for years, every step was a challenge. After working with the physical therapy team at Eyas Landing, we started seeing her stand longer and even take steps using her walker. The therapists celebrated her wins and made every session a positive experience for all of us. Today, she’s moving more independently, and her confidence shines. The team has truly partnered with us at every turn.” Eyas Landing Chicago Parent
Physical Therapy—When and Where You Need It
Consistency creates lasting progress. That’s why Eyas Landing offers flexible service delivery options designed to meet your family’s needs and reduce daily barriers:
- In-Clinic Therapy: Our West Loop facility offers a supportive, accessible environment with specialized equipment and space.
- In-Home Therapy: We bring expert care to your doorstep, helping your child practice skills in their own space.
- School/Daycare-Based Therapy: Collaboration with educators ensures your child’s therapy supports academic and social participation.
- Telehealth: Secure, interactive sessions so your child can engage with our therapists from anywhere.
We work together to determine which setting will help your child get the greatest benefit—and adjust as your family’s needs change.
Diagnoses We Most Commonly Support
Our therapists have expertise in a wide range of pediatric diagnoses that benefit from targeted physical therapy, including:
- Cerebral Palsy – Working on muscle tone, posture, functional mobility, and coordination to empower your child’s independence.
- Spina Bifida – Addressing movement limitations and supporting safe mobility, balance, and endurance.
- Muscular Dystrophy – Promoting muscle strength, flexibility, and adaptive skills for everyday activities.
- Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) – Improving overall coordination, postural control, and confidence in movement.
- Torticollis and Plagiocephaly – Providing gentle stretching and positioning guidance for head and neck alignment.
- Down Syndrome – Supporting gross motor skill development, balance, and joint stability.
- Gait Abnormalities – Treating conditions like toe-walking, in-toeing, or balance issues to ensure safe and effective walking patterns.
- Developmental Delays – Helping children achieve key milestones such as sitting, crawling, standing, and walking.
We also support children with genetic syndromes, acquired injuries, post-surgical needs, low muscle tone (hypotonia), and pediatric sports injuries.
Our Treatment Approaches: Evidence-Based, Child-Centered, and Engaging
Progress is possible—no matter your child’s diagnosis. We blend science-backed interventions with play and everyday routines so therapy is enjoyable, meaningful, and sustainable for your family. Our therapists draw from leading approaches, including:
- Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT): Hands-on techniques to promote normal movement patterns and functional skills for children with neurological challenges like cerebral palsy and spina bifida.
- Sensory Integration: Fun, purposeful activities that help children process sensory input, often essential for those with DCD, SPD, or autism, to improve balance, coordination, and self-regulation.
- Strength Training and Endurance Building: Age-appropriate exercises that promote muscle growth, joint stability, and overall fitness, crucial for conditions like muscular dystrophy, hypotonia, or recovery from injury.
- Motor Learning Strategies: Breaking skills down into manageable steps, using repetition and feedback to help your child master everyday movements like walking, jumping, or climbing stairs.
- Orthotic and Equipment Assessment: Evaluating the need for supports such as braces, walkers, or wheelchairs, with training for safe use both at home and in the community.
- Family Coaching: We empower you with guidance, techniques, and progress-tracking tools that help build your child’s skills in daily life—not just at therapy appointments.
Our physical therapy team is also exceptional at meeting the needs of your child in the environment that is best for them. Therapy can be completed in your home, at our clinic, at your child’s school or daycare, at the park, or even bicycle riding up and down the sidewalks near your home. Our therapists are skilled at teaching children the skills they need so they can play and explore the world around them.
Take the Next Step with Confidence
You are not alone in this journey. Let’s work together to help your child reach tomorrow’s milestones, one step at a time. Your next step is to schedule a complimentary consultation with our caring team. We’ll listen closely, answer all your questions, and create a tailored plan so your child’s strengths can shine—every day, in every environment.
Our Physical Therapy Team:
Together, the Physical Therapy team seamlessly collaborates with each child’s entire therapeutic team to address best practices and individualized treatment plans. This collaboration between our highly-educated, compassionate staff maximize therapeutic outcomes and help support our clients to reach their fullest potential. At Eyas Landing, we value evidence-based practice, client-centeredness, community, diversity, collaboration, and flexibility.
Why Choose Eyas Landing?
We treat the whole child, and we support the whole family. We believe therapy should reduce family stress, not add to it. That’s why flexibility is the foundation of our approach. We meet families where they are—emotionally, developmentally, and physically.
Flexible Therapy Settings
We offer evidence-based interventions in the environment that works best for your child:
- Clinic-Based: Our state-of-the-art facility in Chicago’s West Loop is designed for sensory play and skill-building.
- Home-Based: We work on skills in your natural environment, making daily routines easier.
- School-Based: We collaborate with teachers to support academic success and social inclusion.
- TeleHealth: Accessible support for adolescents or families needing remote flexibility.
A Multi-Disciplinary Team
Your child isn’t one-dimensional, and their care shouldn’t be either. Our occupational therapists collaborate closely with speech therapists, physical therapists, behavioral therapists (ABA), and social workers. This ensures that every part of your child’s development is supported under one roof.
Family-Centered Care
We partner with your family every step of the way. We don’t just work with your child for an hour and leave; we provide coaching and strategies you can use at home. Your goals become our goals.
Next Steps to Starting Physical Therapy
Evaluation And Outcome Measures
Initial Evaluations are completed with standardized measures, clinical observation and parent report components. Re-evaluations are completed every six months to determine progress. Eyas Landing therapists proactively collaborate with families and other professionals to increase positive outcomes
Plan Of Care
Eyas Landing treatment plans are individualized to meet each child’s unique strengths, interests and goals. Goals are reviewed weekly and daily treatment notes are emailed directly to parents. Eyas Landing therapists are skilled in utilizing the client’s interests and motivations to increase participation in challenging therapeutic activities.
Billing Options
Eyas Landing offers a variety of billing and payment options to support your child’s treatment. There is a dedicated and knowledgeable on-site staff that are here to answer any of your questions. Eyas Landing is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois PPO, Blue Choice PPO, and Aetna PPO plans. Eyas Landing also accepts most out-of-network PPO plans, including United Healthcare and Cigna. Claims are submitted directly to your insurance company and staff can assist in disputing any denied claims.
Frequently Asked Questions About Physical Therapy for Kids:
Do I need a doctor’s referral?
In many cases, yes, for insurance purposes. However, you can contact us directly to start the conversation. We can help guide you through the process of getting the necessary paperwork from your pediatrician.
My child has an IEP at school. Can we still do private therapy?
Absolutely. Many families find that school services are helpful but may not offer the 1:1 attention or frequency a child needs to make rapid progress. We often collaborate with school teams to ensure our goals align with their IEP, maximizing your child’s success.
Do you take insurance?
We accept a wide range of insurance plans and also work with families on Early Intervention funding. During your initial consultation, our intake team will verify your benefits so you know exactly what to expect.
What does an initial assessment look like?
A: It is a low-stress, play-based evaluation. We observe how your child moves, plays, and reacts to sensory input. We also spend time talking with you to understand your primary concerns and goals.
Center-Based Physical Therapy in Chicago
Kids love our sensory friendly clinics equipped with the best sensory equipment and engaging therapy resources.
Our Play-Based Therapy Clinics are located in:
- Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood
- Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood
In-Home Physical Therapy in Chicago
Eyas Landing therapists offer in-home therapy for early intervention and family convenience.
Our in-home therapy services are offered in the following Chicago neighborhoods:
- Lincoln Park
- Lakeview
- Gold Coast
- Roscoe Village
- North Center
- Ravenswood
- Ukrainian Village
- West Town
- Streeterville
- Loop / Downtown Chicago
- Bronzeville
- Wicker Park
- Logan Square
- Bucktown
- West Loop
- South Loop
- River North
- Hyde Park
- Near North Side
- Oak Park
School-Based Physical Therapy in Chicago
Eyas Landing partners with private schools throughout Chicago to support children in their schools. We provide services in the following schools:
- British International School of Chicago – Lincoln Park
- Francis W. Parker School
- Ancona School
- St. Clement School
- Intercultural Montessori
- City Elementary
- British International School of Chicago – South Loop
- Rainforest Preschool – South Loop
- Old St. Mary’s Catholic School
- St. Alphonsus Academy & Center for the Arts
- The Place for Children with Autism
- Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School
- Frances Xavier Warde Catholic School – Cathedral Campus
- The Nook
- Frances Xavier Warde Catholic School – Old St. Patrick’s Campus
- UIC Children’s Center
- Metropolitan Schoolhouse
- St. Josaphat School
- St. Ann School
- Chicago City Day School
- Bennett Day School
- University of Chicago area – Bernice E. Lavin Early Childhood Education Center
- Chicago Jesuit Academy
- Children of Peace Catholic School
- Immaculate Conception – St. Joseph School
- St. John Berchmans School
- Stride Autism Center
- The Trails School for Early Learning
- Easter Seals Gilchrist Marchman Child Development Center
