What is Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI)?

Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) is a therapeutic technique used in physiotherapy and occupational therapy to treat children with motor delay by improving automatic postural responses and promoting progress towards developmental milestones. The goal of DMI is to provoke a specified active motor response from the child in response to defined dynamic exercises prescribed by the therapist. This comprehensive intervention incorporates current research on neurorehabilitation, technologies, and methodologies. DMI stimulates neuroplasticity to facilitate new neuronal connections and development of motor milestones.

Who is DMI for?

DMI can be used for babies and young children with developmental delay. DMI stimulates neuroplasticity in the developing brain and therefore can be used with children with any diagnosis regardless of level of cognition.

What happens in a DMI session?

After a thorough assessment to determine the child’s strengths and deficits, a therapy program is created to challenge the child’s neurological system to the highest level of skill as well as exercises that develop the core and foundational milestones. Exercises involve movement against gravity, progressively more challenging support, provocation of desired movements, as well as postural and strength challenges.

Many exercises will be completed within a session, but each exercise will be repeated around 5 times, and often also repeated from session to session until the movements become automatic which results in improved balance and function.

Depending on the goals of therapy and the child’s level of engagement, DMI can be combined with other therapeutic techniques such vibration plate, task specific electrical stimulation (TASES), use of Theratogs and compression garments, Blazepods and simply more traditional play based-therapy.

DMI sessions are conducted either on a table for the early developmental milestones and up to standing. Once standing and balance become the focus, sessions are moved to the floor where a series of wooden boxes and beams are used in countless configurations.

Where do DMI sessions occur?

We are proud to be offering both clinic and mobile DMI sessions which includes both home and school based sessions where deemed appropriate.

Our DMI Qualification

Hayley Fisher, the Principal Physiotherapist is a certified Level C DMI practitioner. Our associated independent contractors are currently Level A certified.

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