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Depending on each child’s needs, physical, occupational, and speech therapists work as a team to help keep them strong, improve mobility, support daily activities, and guide families through everything from equipment selection and insurance hurdles to post-surgical recovery. Our job goes beyond exercises and treatment plans — it’s also about helping parents and caregivers feel supported, prepared, and heard. Caring for someone with SMA can be physically demanding and emotionally exhausting, so we make it our mission to be not just therapists, but allies.
Over time, these relationships grow into something incredibly special. When you see a family week after week — often for years — you become more than just a healthcare provider. You become a trusted part of their team and sometimes even an extended family member. That’s why it’s so important to find a therapist you truly connect with — someone who understands your goals, respects your expertise as a caregiver, and adapts their approach to fit your child’s needs and personality, and your family’s life. The right match can make therapy feel less like an appointment and more like the partnership that it truly is.
August is SMA Awareness Month, and it’s a time to not only spread knowledge about the condition, but also to talk about the role our communities play in creating an inclusive world. Medical care and therapy are essential, but so is the environment where a child grows up. Inclusion means more than just accessibility — it’s about making sure children with SMA can participate fully in school, sports, hobbies, and friendships. That might mean building accessible playgrounds, providing adaptive bikes or sports opportunities, or simply teaching peers to see each other for who they are, not just what they can or can’t do.
In therapy, we celebrate the small wins — muscles that are a little stronger, joints that stay looser, a new piece of adaptive equipment that lets a child join their friends in play. But the real victories happen when those skills and supports translate into joyful moments: a bike ride with friends, a successful school field trip, a family vacation without mobility barriers. These moments remind us that every child, regardless of ability, deserves not just to participate in life — but to thrive in it.
So this month, as we shine a spotlight on SMA, let’s remember that awareness is just the beginning. Together, as therapists, families, neighbors, and communities, we can make the world a place where kids with SMA feel not just accommodated, but fully welcomed, valued, and celebrated.
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