Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI)

Dynamic Movement Intervention

Are you looking for a new method of treatment for your child?

Dynamic Movement Intervention is an intervention commonly used in physical and occupational therapy. This therapeutic technique is used to treat children with motor delay(s) and/or impairment(s) by focusing on alignment, sensory integration, and function.

Our physical therapists are trained in this speciality therapeutic technique. Their main goal is to promote progress towards developmental milestones.

DMI’s Areas of Focus

Dynamic Movement Intervention has a variety of benefits that can improve your child’s motor development.

Our trained therapists focus on these nine focus areas when assessing and treating your child.

  • Gross motor skills involve the large muscles in the arms, legs and torso. Your child’s gross motor milestones include the ability to hold his/her head up, roll, sit, crawl, walk, run, transition between positions, etc. DMI works on improving gross motor skills of your child from birth by developing automatic motor movement. Once the movement becomes automatic, their brain has completely grasped how to repeat the skill smoothly and utilize it in various scenarios.
  • Gradual progression means lessening the support your child requires to do an exercise or activity. For example, standing while supporting your child’s ankles is less support than at their hips. The less support they are given, the more their brain understands that they can do this skill independently. DMI continuously increases the challenge to encourage your child to respond with greater independence.
  • Postural control is the ability to control movement and maintain posture following a movement. All DMI exercises focus on optimal anatomical alignment and stimulate postural control and verticality. For example: sitting up with a straight back vs. sitting with a curved back.
  • DMI provides active stretching in order for your child to maintain or gain better range of motion in areas like ankles, calves, hamstrings, etc. DMI uses dynamic and functional stretching of the muscles and the joint range of motion to obtain movement. These are incorporated in treatment sessions and your child’s at home exercise program.
  • Balance is the distribution of weight while remaining upright and steady. DMI works to improve balance focusing on distribution of your child’s weight during exercises.
  • Functional movement focuses on allowing muscles to work together to complete a large and/or more complex movement. These functional movements are typically things done every day. DMI works to improve actions and skills that lead to attaining milestones such as rolling, sitting, standing, and walking.
  • Somatosensory system is the body’s perception of touch, temperature, body position, and pain. The strong sensory information provided by the DMI exercises sends messages to the brain to create specialized synapses that fine tune balance, muscle control, and movement.
  • Primitive reflexes are involuntary motor responses to stimuli, starting at birth and into early child development. DMI strives to provide normalized movement patterns to children with neurological dysfunction to assist with the integration of disruptive primitive reflexes.
  • DMI focuses on gross motor skills, however, many other skills develop as a byproduct of this intensive intervention.
Dynamic Movement Intervention

Is DMI therapy appropriate for my child?

This program promotes progress towards developmental milestones and will benefit most children with motor developmental delays. The below list are some, but not all, of the diagnoses that DMI can benefit: 

  1. Down Syndrome
  2. Cerebral Palsy
  3. Global Developmental Delay
  4. Hypotonia
  5. Chromosomal Abnormalities/Genetic Disorders
  6. Spinal Cord Lesions
  7. Brain Injury
  8. Other Motor Delays
Introducing Our

DMI Therapists

Hannah T., PT, DPT

DMI Certified

Intro Level A

Hannah is originally from Stamford, CT. She earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and Bachelor of Health
Science from Quinnipiac University.

Hannah has experience providing physical therapy services for children with a wide range of
neurodevelopmental disabilities. Additionally, she has been trained in Aquatic Therapy and Adaptive Swim
through Swim Angelfish and has a passion for Pediatric Aquatic PT.

Providing services that are uniquely tailored to each child is very important to Hannah and she will always
prioritize the delivery of high-quality care to facilitate progress towards each child’s full potential.

During her free time, Hannah enjoys traveling, being outdoors, hiking, gardening, and hanging out with her pet bunny!

 

TRAININGS + CERTIFICATIONS

  • Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) – Intro Level A

Kristin S., PT, DPT

DMI Certified

Intro Level A

Kristin is originally from sunny Upland, CA. She earned her Bachelors in Kinesiology at San Diego State University in 2019. She fell in love with San Diego so much that she returned to SDSU where she earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2023.

From her earliest years, Kristin’s passion for working with children has been a guiding force in her life. Now, she’s thrilled to dive into the world of pediatric physical therapy, where she brings boundless enthusiasm and deep empathy to help each child unlock their full potential. Beyond that, she is passionate about enhancing not only the skills and quality of life for children but also empowering parents on their journey.

She has experience working with children of all ages in a variety of settings: school based, early intervention, home health and outpatient facilities.

In her free time, Kristin enjoys traveling, soaking up the sun at the beach, kayaking/paddle boarding, whipping up tasty dishes, and cherishing quality time with family, friends, and her boyfriend.

 

TRAININGS + CERTIFICATIONS

  • Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) – Intro Level A
Physical Therapist

Laura M., PT, DPT, CEIM

DMI Certified

Intro Level C

Laura is originally from Buffalo, NY. She earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and Bachelors of Natural Science at Daemen College.

Laura has experience treating children of all ages, in a variety of settings: home, clinic, parks/community, pools, telehealth.

Parent coaching and routine based models are especially important to Laura’s practice. These involve coordination with all caregivers and the patient on goal setting and carrying over interventions throughout daily routines.

During her free time, Laura enjoys skateboarding, hiking, beaching, camping, playing guitar/piano/ukulele, singing and relaxing with her husband and 2 kitties.

 

TRAININGS + CERTIFICATIONS

  • Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) – Intro Level C
  • Kinesiology Taping
  • Torticollis and Plagiocephaly Management
  • Pediatric Yoga
  • Orthotic and Equipment Indication and Implementation
  • Pediatric Neurological Development Treatment (NDT)
  • Pediatric Vision Techniques
  • Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CEIM)
  • Task-specific electrical stimulation (TASES)
  • Theratogs compression garment
Learn More About Our Physical Therapy Services

How It Works…

A Dynamic Movement Intervention session at Milestone looks like:  

  • Brief assessment: identify areas of potential growth
  • Exercises are chosen based off your child’s need and what may challenge them 
  • Exercises can include: movement against gravity, provocation of desired movements, postural control, and strengthening activities  
  • Exercises will be repeated around 5 times and session to session. This allows for movements to become automatic. 
  • Exercises may be completed or performed on the floor or a table top surface  
  • DMI is sometimes combined with other treatment interventions
Ask Our Therapists If DMI Is Right For Your Child
Dynamic Movement Intervention

Let’s Connect

We would like to meet with you and your family to determine how we can help.

 

*Content contained on this DMI page has been adapted from the DMI website. To learn more about DMI please go to this link.

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