DNS is a great tool for rehabilitating babies or children with developmental delay, babies who don’t roll or crawl like their peers, and for scoliosis and poor posture. Adults can benefit as well and athletic performance can also be enhanced.
Normal baby milestones and timing of these is important. Babies should be rolling by 5 months, sitting up by 7 months, crawling by 8 months. If your child is slow to meet these milestones it would be beneficial to treat them as young as possible so best patterns can be formed for their lifetime.
Mary Lynne Jones, Physical therapist is one of the few certified practitioners in Canada in DNS for Pediatrics. The same principles can be applied to adults and athletes as well.
To try DNS, or learn more about it, book an appointment with our physical therapist.
DNS, already popular in Europe and the United States, is slowly coming to Canada as practitioners start to learn of its effectiveness in rehabilitation of pain syndromes, postural problems and most exciting – neurological conditions.
With focus on the core, DNS results in much stronger and coordinated movements. Since movement is all controlled by the brain, DNS exercises strengthens the neurological links within the brain to the body. The result is a strong core and limbs that maintain their strength and control, as they are dynamically moving.
DNS uses normal movements or patterns that humans have hard-wired in our nervous systems, so they are easy to access and stimulate – for example, movements that babies use to figure out how to roll, crawl and eventually walk.
Mary Lynne is one of the very few practitioners in Canada practicing DNS for paediatrics. DNS is cutting edge rehabilitation that uses positions of development from babies to strengthen how the brain coordinates our movements. It accesses instinctive “hardwiring” reflexes that exist in all humans that lead us from rolling to crawling to walking. Delays in this sequence, as well as missing or rushing these critical steps happens for many children.
This can be an indicator of neurological problems that should be treated early for the best opportunity to intervene while the nervous system wiring is developing. Not addressing poor movement patterns early can contribute to postural problems such as scoliosis, pain later in life, and general incoordination. Some even think that this ground work of nervous system development is the basis for higher learning later in life.
DNS uses exercises from the positions of development to properly activate the core muscles and ensure normal movement patterns are used in everyday activities. This technique is very helpful in rehabilitating neurological problems such as developmental delay, cerebral palsy and stroke.
DNS is also used for treating spinal pain, poor posture (including scoliosis), hip dysplasia, torticollis or foot and knee problems. Newborn and child screening evaluations are recommended for all children but especially those that have difficulty with performing normal activities such as rolling, crawling or those that seem uncoordinated or clumsy.
Posture screens should be done regularly and especially prior to the growth spurt at adolescence. Treatment can begin at any age but results are quicker and prevention is key if started within the first year of life.
DNS is also used for treating adults and athletes to maximize performance.