At young ages, motor abilities are an especially important part of interacting with one’s world. Children socialize and learn while moving.
The Physical Therapy program is aimed at the development of functional motor skills. Children require stability, endurance and strength for smooth postural transitions and movement.
Some of the important motor skills we emphasize are upright sitting posture, crawling, ambulation, stair negotiation, running and jumping.
The WCEED Physical Therapy Department utilizes a combination of passive resistive exercises, neuro-developmental, and motor learning techniques to develop the postural control, muscular strength, endurance and motor coordination.
Lauren Azuolay, M.S, PT
Lauren is the physical therapy supervisor. She has 10 years of experience with the pediatric population. She has used her skills with children between the ages of newborn through 5 years of age in many settings such as homes, Early Intervention Centers and Preschools. She worked at United Cerebral Palsy in the Bronx for several years gaining experience working with children with developmental disabilities requiring assistive and mobility devices. Lauren recently attended a course in Treating Torticollis and is thoroughly enjoys helping first – time parents become more educated and comfortable with the implementing “tummy time”.
Lauren currently works at WCEED in both the classroom and in the outpatient clinic. She also works within integrated classroom settings in 3 Westchester school districts. Lauren has 3 children, one of whom received services through WCEED service coordination. She strongly believes that her therapist skills were enriched by being the parent of a child with special needs and learning about the ways in wich parents and therapists can work together to help children reach goals. Please feel free to approach her at any time for ideas on how to try to make therapy fun in any enviroment.
Lauren enjoys bike riding, music, and traveling. She speaks Hebrew as a second and in her free time experiments with Middle eastern Cusine, and sneaking healthy foods into her kid’s meals.