Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) is a hands-on treatment approach used by therapists to enhance the movement-based functions.
This approach is applicable to those who have difficulty controlling movement as a result of neurological challenges, such as cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, Brain tumours, stroke, and head injury.
NDT uses hands on facilitation of movements incorporating key points of contact on the body of the individual as a treatment.
Facilitation of normal movement during treatment sessions, leads to experiential learning of movement for motor performance such as rolling, crawling, standing, walking gripping objects and any other day to day physical actions.
Practice of movements during regular therapy enables easier movements and helps in preventing a limited set or dysfunctional movement patterns that might be compensatory and ineffective.
Therapists trained in NDT have advanced training that enables them to properly assess and treat the variety of neuro-motor problems, Musculo skeletal problems, sensory processing problems experienced by these individuals and help these individuals become as functional and independent as possible.
NDT-trained therapists work collaboratively with patients, their families and caregivers, physicians, and other members of the rehabilitation team to develop and implement a comprehensive treatment program for each person that is based on scientific principles and current research.
NDT is a holistic and interdisciplinary clinical practice model informed by current and evolving research that emphasizes individualized therapeutic handling based on movement analysis for habitation and rehabilitation of individuals with neurological pathophysiology. The therapist uses the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) model in a problem-solving approach to assess activity and participation, thereby to identify and prioritize relevant integrities and impairments as a basis for establishing achievable outcomes with clients and caregivers.
An in-depth knowledge of the human movement system, including the understanding of typical and atypical development, and expertise in analyzing postural control, movement, activity, and participation throughout the lifespan, form the basis for examination, evaluation, and intervention. Therapeutic handling, used during evaluation and intervention, consists of a dynamic reciprocal interaction between the client and therapist for activating optimal sensorimotor processing, task performance, and skill acquisition to enable participation in meaningful activities.