A woman and child playing with a toy.

What is DMI?

Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) is a therapeutic technique used in physical 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 the development of motor milestones.
(Sourced: dmitherapy.com)

Who Can Benefit From DMI

Regardless of level of cognition and extent of neurological deficit or damage, affected children benefit from DMI motor intervention as it pertains to stimulating neuroplasticity in the developing brain. DMI intervention can start as early as 1 to 2 months of age.

Children diagnosed with any type of motor delay, including conditions such as Down Syndrome, Cerebral palsy, global developmental delay, hypotonia, chromosomal abnormalities/genetic disorders, spinal cord lesions, or acquired brain injury, may benefit from this form of therapy. Children at risk, such as those who are born prematurely, can also benefit from this therapy due to the strong neuroplastic changes that this treatment stimulates within the developing brain.
(Sourced from dmitherapy.com)

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DMI Focuses On

  • Gross motor skills – Improving gross motor skills of children from birth by developing automatic motor movement. (Promotes Neurological Maturity)
  • Gradual progression – Continuously increasing the challenge to encourage the child to respond with greater independence.
  • Alignment and Postural Control - All exercises focus on optimal anatomical alignment and stimulate postural control and verticality.
  • Range of Motion - Muscle and joint range of motion is achieved by movement (Dynamical and functional stretching).
  • Balance – Improved balance is a common thread through most DMI exercises. Functional movements – Improving actions and skills that lead to attaining milestones such as rolling, sitting, standing, and walking.
  • Somatosensory Development - The strong sensory information provided by the exercises sends afferent messages to the brain to create specialized synapses that fine-tune balance, muscle control, and movement.
  • Modifying tone, primitive reflexes, and abnormal patterns of movement - DMI strives to provide normalized movement patterns to children with neurological dysfunction to assist with the integration of disruptive primitive reflexes.
  • Global Development - DMI focuses on gross motor skills, however, many other skills develop as a byproduct of this intensive intervention.
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What does DMI intensive look like

A DMI intensive is a block period of time of 1 to 3 weeks of DMI therapy for 2 different times a day. This method allows the brain to better understand the patterning and repetition to make gross motor movements while building the strength and endurance of the child. The sessions will last around 45 to 50 minutes. The goal of DMI intensives is to challenge the neurological and sensory systems to enhance gross motor movements. The therapist will challenge the child's head/neck control, core stability, righting reflexes, balance and coordination, movement against gravity, and postural strength challenges. Throughout the intensive, the child will build new neural pathways, strength, and endurance for improved motor outcomes.

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Services and Prices

Single Session-scheduled 45-50 minute session weekly/biweekly/once a month based on the child’s needs and therapist availability. This is only for people who have participated in any DMI experience. $175 per session.
Intensive DMI Sessions. 2 scheduled 45-50 minute sessions each day (1-3 weeks, scheduling dependent on one therapist).
1 week intensive; $1,750 (500 deposit)
2-week intensive; $3,500 (1000 deposit)
3 week intensive; $5250 (1000 deposit)
To book an intensive, a deposit is required to reserve your spot and the remainder of the payment will be due before the first session on the first day of intensive.

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A woman and child sitting on top of an exercise ball.

DMI Registration

Our available intensive dates for 2024 sessions are listed below. Please fill out a registration form and be sure to select your desired session dates in the drop down box. If you are interested in being on a waitlist for certain intensives, please fill out the submission form. Once we receive your registration form, we will email you a confirmation of submission and next steps. If you would like to do a 3 week intensive and there are no available dates, you can book a 2 week intensive and then book a 1-week intensive before or after that date if one is available.

June 3rd- 21st- 3 week Intensive
June 24th- 28th- 1 week Intensive
July 8th-19th- 2 week Intensive
July 29th- August 9th- 2 week Intensive
August 19th- August 30th- 2 week Intensive
September 9th- 27th- 3 week Intensive
October 7th- 11th- 1 week Intensive
October 14th- 25th- 2 week Intensive
November 4th- 22nd- 3 week Intensive
December 2nd- 13th- 2 week Intensive