Falling Too Often?
By: Abby Wrightson, PT, DPT
Is my Child Falling Too Often?
One of the most common conditions treated in physical therapy is impaired balance causing frequent falling. All kids have a tendency to fall occasionally, so it may be tricky to determine if your child is falling too often. Here are some tricks to help determine if your child is falling too much, and if they may benefit from physical therapy to improve their balance:
- Has your child been walking for less than 3 months?
- It is predicted that new walkers fall about 17 times per hour, and up to 100 falls per day. This is a lot of falling because these kids are still learning how to control their bodies! It takes a lot of practice to master such a complex movement such as walking, so if your little one is falling often, do not be worried and give them plenty of time to master this skill.
- Does your child have frequent injuries due to falling?
- If your child is constantly covered in bruises or scraps, it may be time to consider PT to help improve their balance!
- Does falling impact your child’s ability to participate in daily activities?
- As PTs, we want to help your child be able to participate fully in school, sports, and playing. If your child is falling so often that they are not able to interact with peers and family, PT can help provide the necessary tools to improve their ability to participate in all of their favorite activities.
Reasons for frequent falling
Here are some reasons why your child may be experiencing frequent falling:
- Decreased strength, particularly in their core and legs. Having a strong core is important to controlling your body as you walk over uneven surfaces. Similarly, weakness in a child’s legs or ankles may make it difficult to run and jump, resulting in frequent falling.
- Impaired coordination. Coordination is a term used to describe how your arms and legs are able to move together. Without appropriate coordination, it may be difficult for your child to move their body throughout space, resulting in falls.
- Impaired vision or sensory processing. Vision and sensation throughout our body are important parts of our balance system. If you are having trouble seeing or difficulty feeling the ground, you may miss obstacles on the ground that cause tripping and slipping.
- Impaired vestibular system. The vestibular system is located in the inner ear and helps the brain know where the head and neck are in space. Kids who have impaired vestibular systems may have difficulty understanding how their bodies are moving when playing, creating an increased risk of loss of balance.
How We Can Help
Frequent falling as a child can be nerve-wracking for parents, and we are here to help! If you think your child would fall into one of these categories, reach out to Hogg Therapy to schedule a physical therapy evaluation. We can work together to help your child play and move safely and efficiently! Give us a call at 859-353-3666!
Works Cited:
Adolph KE, Cole WG, Komati M, et al. How do you learn to walk? Thousands of steps and dozens of falls per day. Psychol Sci. 2012;23(11):1387-1394. doi:10.1177/0956797612446346
