Pediatric Physical Therapy Services in Rochester
Pediatric physical therapy utilizes play-based therapy to help children reach their developmental milestones, build their strength/coordination/balance, and increase independence in the home as well as the community and school settings.
At Rise Above Therapies, we believe therapy works best when families are at the center of it. That means we don’t just treat your child—we partner with you. Every session at our Rochester clinic is built around your goals, your questions, and your child’s unique personality.
What Is Pediatric Physical Therapy?
In pediatric PT, we specialize in assessing how an infant/child’s ability to move freely throughout their environment might be impacted by strength or range of motion imbalances, positional preferences, early torticollis or other muscle tension, or balance/coordination difficulties. Every child develops at their own pace! Pediatric physical therapists are trained to identify when a child could benefit from extra support and to design treatment plans that meet them exactly where they are. At Rise Above Therapies in Rochester, NY, that’s exactly what we do—and we do it with your family at the center.
Common Gross Motor Concerns We Treat
Our Rochester pediatric physical therapy team regularly works with children who have been diagnosed with or are experiencing difficulties with the following:
Torticollis
Head tilt and/or head turn preference
Plagiocephaly
"Flat Head" Often associated with torticollis or difficulty tolerating a variety of positions in infants
Post-
Concussion
Dizziness
Headache
Loss of balance
Gait Deviations
Toe walking
In-toeing
Out-toeing
Muscle
Tone
Hypotonia- low muscle tone
Hypertonia - high muscle tone, spasticity, rigidity
Neurological
Orthopedic
Genetic
Brachial Plexus injury
Down Syndrome
Cerebral Palsy
Spina Bifida
Scoliosis
​
Balance &
Coordination
Frequent tripping/falling
​
Difficulty coordinating multiple movements
(obstacle course/playground)
Core
Weakness
W-sitting
Constant leaning
Difficulty sitting independently
​
Don’t see your child’s diagnosis or concern listed?
Give us a call at 585-910-2292 - we’re happy to talk through your child’s needs.
Meet Our Rochester Pediatric Physical Therapist
Dr. Shelby Withiam, PT, DPT
Dr. Shelby Withiam, PT, DPT opened Rise Above Therapies in November 2025 with a passion for empowering families to understand their child's early gross motor development and be active participants in therapy sessions.​She believes in holding space for families to feel heard and understood - while also providing them with a new perspective on how difficulties in other areas of development can impact early gross motor skills.​Did you know that early feeding challenges, positional preferences (like difficulty with tummy time), and low muscle tone can make learning to roll, sit independently, and crawl more challenging? Shelby can tell you all about it!
Why is pediatric physical therapy beneficial?
"Movement is how we explore our environment! Supporting a child in their gross motor skill development - as early as tummy time - can help set the foundation for age-appropriate movement in those first years of life and beyond. Postural asymmetries that are not fully resolved at a young age may lead to difficulty with other motor skills, such as crawling, at a later age. Physical therapy can also support balance/coordination concerns for those school-age kids in PE class!"
-Dr. Shelby Withiam, PT, DPT