We have immediate openings for virtual & in home physical and occupational therapy appointments...even after school!

Although Moving & Grooving PT was established in 2022, Dr. Nikki has 9 years of experience as a doctor of physical therapy. She has worked in early intervention/ AZEIP, outpatient, aquatic therapy, skilled nursing (SNF) & home health settings. As a result, she has learned many different techniques & skill sets, collaborated with many other pediatric experts & understands the importance of teaching caregivers what to do outside of their therapy sessions. She has also taught pediatric physical therapy to doctoral students at Midwestern University for the past 2 years.

We are a 5* agency; the best of the best in Scottsdale, AZ! Not only should you not settle for a long wait list, but you shouldn't settle for brand new therapists, nor a rotating staff to see your child. We have high quality interventions that have been shown to provide amazing results & attend ongoing trainings to stay up to date with the best practices. Our past & current patients have all elected to utilize our concierge services over 'in network' providers, as they have seen how much we truly care & how much progress their child makes in our care, as compared to competitors. Actual quotes from our patients include, "You've completely changed our lives since working with [our son]," "We have seen more progress in a few weeks with you than in the 2 years we spent going to [other clinic]." "You are truly amazing at what you do, I hope you know that!" "You are worth every penny." "I can't believe how quickly she did it on her own after you left," "Thanks for all you helped us with! He's doing so good thanks to you!" "We don't know what we would have done without your help!" "I'm so glad that we found you!" "We would have never known our child has [cerebral palsy, hip dysplasia, genetic condition] without your expertise, and we are so grateful for that."

Absolutely not. Your child's development is multi-faceted, and they develop in different ways than you, their siblings, or their peers. This can be due to a variety of factors, but please know that you are not the cause for your child's diagnosis or being behind with their milestones. At Moving & Grooving PT, we are big believers on shifting our mindset to being more positive & optimistic. We focus on what you can do moving forward, rather than what you could have done differently before; none of us are perfect. We love sharing resources with our families to ensure they know what they can do to help their child even more. You're doing the best you can with the information you have, and the love and dedication you're pouring into your child currently is an amazing foundation!

Dr. Nikki does not have her own children. She enjoys spending time with her dog, Maverick, children of friends and family members.

Early intervention denotes the provision of services and support for infants and children under 3 years of age experiencing delays or problems in development. Early intervention can have a significant, positive impact on your child's development and might even decrease your child's likelihood of needing special education services during his or her life. Free early intervention services through the state (AZEIP, https://des.az.gov/azeip) are only provided to children in the lowest 2% of development in the state of Arizona. AZEIP is a parent coaching program centered around your concerns as a parent rather than what the therapist suggests targeting. Many families who use AZEIP like to supplement with private therapy as well, as AZEIP is solely a coaching program, as private therapy provides more specific hands on techniques. 

Plagiocephaly can be developed in utero (while you’re pregnant), during a prolonged delivery, or after birth. To help prevent plagiocephaly, your baby needs plenty of time off of their back when awake; this can include tummy time or side-lying. You should switch the side you hold your baby on when feeding and switch the position of your baby's head when they sleep. If you are noticing flat spots or asymmetry on your baby’s head and have already been working with a physical therapist or occupational therapist, your baby may need a DOC band. They are a very effective tool to treat plagiocephaly and are absolutely adorable, particularly when customized with artwork. You can schedule a consultation with Cranial Technologies (link: https://book.cranialtech.com/reschedule?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearchbrand-prospecting&utm_campaign=GS-Middle-Focus/NC-D2C-0824&utm_term=cranial%20technologies&utm_content=https://book.cranialtech.com/reschedule-&utm_id=21817685956&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-aK8BhCDARIsAL_-H9kxUu-687lKXkPjr7n9MUah6d_TA99r-G50m447dzIwi8aLDUpd_b0aAqL8EALw_wcB), as they are our preferred vendor. 

Many babies dislike tummy time when they are first introduced to it; it’s new, it’s away from mom, and it requires a lot of strength. Babies need to first develop head and neck control and understand that they have arms to have more success with tummy time. Sometimes babies struggle with tummy time due to reflux, as the extra pressure is uncomfortable on their stomach. If your baby hates tummy time, start with very short, yet frequent sessions. You can have them on your chest to start. We suggest making it more fun by getting on the floor with them and making it a sensory-filled experience through different items to look at, listen to and touch. If your baby skips spending time on their tummy, it can lead to complications and delays later on, so we highly suggest getting help to make this more enjoyable for them ASAP. We offer mommy & me classes that help address.

Babies usually start crawling between 8-9 months. Crawling is a crucial milestone that helps babies prepare for walking, reading & feeding. They generally master this skill through many hours of tummy time. This leads to army crawling, rocking on hands and knees, pushing backwards, and then crawling forward on hands and knees. If your child crawls in a way other than on their hands and knees, this could indicate an unintegrated primitive reflex, weakness, or lack of coordination. We highly recommend seeking an evaluation with a physical therapist or occupational therapist if your baby is not yet crawling and is 9 months old. 

Occasional toe walking can be seen in very new walkers, particularly if they are unable to see over a piece of furniture, but persistent toe walking may require evaluation by a pediatric physical or occupational therapist. If left untreated, it may lead to long term pain & instability, and require surgical intervention.

Retained primitive reflexes are commonly seen in children who had a c-section delivery, struggled with tummy time, skipped crawling, and are delayed in their social emotional processing. They present with overall delays, difficulty in school (reading and writing), poor balance, involuntary movements, bed wetting, and issues with coordination. See our blog for more information. 

Walking is the milestone most sought after for parents. The appropriate range for independent walking is 11-15 months, and toe walking is not a typical stage of walking. Before a child can walk, they must have sufficient strength, balance, stability & confidence in themselves. This is taught through mastery of prior milestones and free play outside of containers, allowing them to explore and trial new transitions and movements. Encourage cruising along furniture, provide push toys for support, keep them in a standing position for longer intervals, and create soft, safe spaces to explore. Always supervise your baby during these activities and provide incentive to take on this new challenge. 

Autism (ASD) is a spectrum of disorders that is caused by a combination of genetics and the environment. People with ASD can live independently and have fulfilling lives. Red flags can include no eye contact, delayed motor milestones and speech, repetitive behaviors (such as hand flapping), and limited social interaction. Children with ASD are often content playing by themselves rather than reciprocally with others and tend to play with toys in one manner, such as throwing, stacking, or sorting. Routines are also important to follow. Children with ASD often prefer to sit in a ‘w’ position, walk on tiptoes, struggle with ball sports, and have limited body awareness. These behaviors and physical difficulties can be addressed through a variety of professionals, including occupational and physical therapy. If you have concerns about your child, we recommend setting up an appointment with a developmental pediatrician or other healthcare provider, such as our local providers Insight Psychology (link: https://www.insightpsychology.health/autism) or Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics AZ (https://developmentalbehavioralpediatricsaz.com/services/). There are also many other programs available to support ASD, such as AZEIP (state funded early intervention, https://des.az.gov/services/developmental-disabilities/early-intervention/refer-a-child-to-azeip) & ABA (applied behavior analysis, https://www.autismspeaks.org/applied-behavior-analysis). 

Look into local clinics, ask your pediatrician for recommendations, and even private practices that may not have as long of a waiting period as others. We currently don’t have a wait list and would love to help your child. You are welcome to schedule a free consultation first or move forward with the initial evaluation.

Obstacle courses, ball games, dancing, and appropriate sports can be done in every age group. If your child has difficulty after practicing these, it may be helpful to seek guidance from a physical therapist or occupational therapist to see if there is an underlying issue making coordination more difficult. See our posts on unintegrated/retained primitive reflexes, developmental coordination disorder, and Autism/ ASD.