Prematurity (Preterm Birth)
What is Prematurity (Preterm Birth)
Prematurity (also called preterm birth) occurs when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The earlier a baby is born, the greater the chance they may need extra medical care and developmental support. While many premature babies grow up healthy and thrive, some experience delays that can benefit from early intervention through physical, occupational, or speech therapy.
Pediatric Prematurity Signs & Symptoms Post Birth
Not every premature baby will need therapy, but parents should monitor developmental milestones and speak with their pediatrician if concerns arise.
A pediatric physical therapist helps children improve movement, strength, balance, and coordination.
Signs your child may benefit from PT
- Delayed rolling, sitting, crawling, or walking
- Muscle stiffness or unusually floppy muscles
- Difficulty holding their head up
- Poor balance
- Toe walking
- Walking on one side more than the other
- Frequent falls
- Difficulty climbing stairs
- Weak endurance during play
- Poor coordination
- Preference for using one side of the body
- Delayed gross motor milestones
PT can also help with:
- Balance
- Core strength
- Walking patterns
- Running
- Jumping
- Coordination
- Endurance
- Safe movement during play
Occupational therapists help children develop the skills needed for daily activities, sensory regulation, and fine motor development.
Signs your child may benefit from OT
- Difficulty feeding themselves
- Trouble holding toys
- Delayed hand-eye coordination
- Difficulty using both hands together
- Problems dressing independently
- Poor pencil or crayon grasp
- Difficulty with buttons or zippers
- Sensory sensitivities to sound, touch, clothing, or textures
- Difficulty calming after becoming upset
- Trouble with transitions
- Limited play skills
- Delayed self-care skills
OT can also address:
- Fine motor skills
- Sensory processing
- Self-regulation
- Activities of daily living (ADLs)
- Visual motor skills
- Feeding
- Play development
Speech-language pathologists help children with communication, feeding, swallowing, and language development.
Signs your child may benefit from Speech Therapy
Communication
- Delayed babbling
- Limited words for age
- Difficulty understanding language
- Trouble following directions
- Limited eye contact during communication
- Difficulty playing or interacting with peers
- Delayed social communication
- Difficulty forming sounds
- Hard-to-understand speech
Feeding & Swallowing
Premature babies commonly experience feeding challenges because the coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing may still be developing.
Signs include:
- Difficulty latching
- Poor sucking strength
- Long feeding times
- Coughing or choking during feeds
- Frequent spit-up
- Difficulty transitioning to solid foods
- Gagging
- Food refusal
- Very limited food choices
- Poor weight gain
Speech therapists can help children safely develop feeding skills while also supporting speech and language development.
Developmental Milestones to Watch
Parents of premature babies should pay attention to milestones using their child’s corrected age (age based on due date rather than birth date) during the first two years.
Watch for delays in:
- Smiling
- Eye contact
- Rolling
- Sitting
- Crawling
- Walking
- Babbling
- First words
- Eating solid foods
- Using both hands equally
- Playing with toys appropriately
- Social interaction
Early intervention can make a significant difference in helping children build these skills.
How Therapy Smarts Supports Children with Down Syndrome
At Therapy Smarts, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. Our experienced pediatric therapists work together to create individualized treatment plans that support each child’s unique developmental needs.
Our pediatric physical therapists help children:
- Improve strength and muscle control
- Reach gross motor milestones
- Build balance and coordination
- Develop walking and running skills
- Improve endurance for play
- Increase confidence with movement
Our occupational therapists help children:
- Improve fine motor skills
- Develop self-care skills such as dressing and feeding
- Build sensory processing and regulation skills
- Strengthen hand-eye coordination
- Improve play skills
- Increase independence in everyday activities
Our speech-language pathologists help children:
- Develop speech and language skills
- Improve social communication
- Strengthen oral motor skills
- Address feeding and swallowing challenges
- Expand food variety
- Build safe, successful mealtime routines
Why Early Therapy Matters
The first few years of life are a time of rapid brain development. Early therapy can help children:
- Reach developmental milestones
- Improve movement and coordination
- Develop communication skills
- Build independence
- Increase confidence
- Support success at home, daycare, and school
- Reduce the impact of developmental delays over time
Wondering About Developmental Milestones?
Have questions about your child’s development, or wondering if a certain diagnosis may be a fit? Try out our developmental screening tool— it’s a fast, free way to get a snapshot of your child’s progress on his or her developmental milestones.
Ready to Help Your Child Reach Their Full Potential?
At Therapy Smarts, we don’t believe in a “wait and see” approach. We believe in early, expert intervention that gives your child the tools they need to thrive. Whether you are looking for specialized Down Syndrome support or a comprehensive developmental evaluation, our award-winning team in Durham and Chapel Hill is ready to partner with your family.
Two Easy Ways to Begin:
Contact Us Directly: Ready to schedule? Call us at 919-378-1340.
Fill out our Online Inquiry Form to speak with a member of our intake team.
Don’t navigate this journey alone—let’s unlock your child’s possibilities together