Strive Pediatrics

Strive Pediatrics Doctor Kennedy received her bachelor’s and clinical doctorate from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. She has practiced in top-ranked U.S.

We help babies & children improve their function through holistic Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy & Craniosacral Fascial Therapy (CFT) in Austin, Texas and surrounding areas. hospitals, including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Children’s National Medical Center of Washington D.C., and other outpatient settings. Most of her career was spent treating fragile children in neonatal intensive care units. Now Dr. Kennedy specializes in outpatient, in-home physical therapy, infant massage, and wellness. As a mother of two, she understands both the gifts and challenges of motherhood.

Myth: “Fine motor skills don’t affect gross motor skills.”Truth: Fine motor and gross motor skills are deeply connected....
03/02/2026

Myth: “Fine motor skills don’t affect gross motor skills.”

Truth: Fine motor and gross motor skills are deeply connected.

The brain doesn’t train hands and bodies separately. Strength, coordination, and bilateral integration work as a team.
When children build fine motor skills—like grasping, manipulating small objects, or using tools—it supports:

✔️ Postural control
✔️ Balance and stability
✔️ Bilateral coordination
✔️ Body awareness (proprioception)
✔️ Motor planning

Think of it like a chain:
Strong hands → better trunk support → more confident movement. 💪👣

If a child struggles with handwriting, utensil use, or play with small toys, you may also notice challenges with running, climbing, or sitting upright for long periods. That’s not coincidence—it’s the nervous system asking for more support.

At Strive Pediatrics, we use play-based OT/PT to build both fine and gross motor skills together—so kids can move, play, and participate with more ease.

If your child struggles with coordination, hand skills, or fatigue during play, trust your gut.
DM us or book an evaluation to learn how pediatric OT/PT can support whole-body development.





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The Importance of Pre- and Post-Release Therapy for Babies with Tongue Ties 🍼💖If your baby has been diagnosed with a ton...
03/01/2026

The Importance of Pre- and Post-Release Therapy for Babies with Tongue Ties 🍼💖

If your baby has been diagnosed with a tongue tie, you may be considering a frenectomy procedure to improve their oral function. While the procedure is quick, therapy before and after is essential for the best results! Here's why:

1️⃣ Prepares the Body: Pre-release therapy helps your baby’s muscles relax and get ready for the frenectomy, ensuring a smoother recovery.
2️⃣ Reduces Risk of Complications: It helps avoid issues during the procedure and improves long-term outcomes.
3️⃣ Promotes Comfort: Familiarizing your baby with having their mouth touched reduces stress and anxiety.
4️⃣ Speeds Recovery: Therapy helps babies heal faster and regain full tongue mobility after surgery.
5️⃣ Ensures Long-Term Success: Babies who receive therapy are more likely to maintain improvements in feeding and speech development.
6️⃣ It supports the whole system: not just the mouth
Feeding is full-body work: posture, breath, oral motor skills, and nervous system regulation all play a role.

Post-release therapy also plays a key role in retraining muscles and ensuring a full recovery. 🧠🤱

At Strive Pediatrics, we specialize in holistic infant OT/PT for babies with tongue ties—supporting:
✨ feeding
✨ breathing
✨ oral motor coordination
✨ body tension and movement
✨ regulation and comfort

This isn’t just mouth work. It’s whole-baby care.If your baby has a tongue tie or feeding feels stressful, trust your gut.

DM us or schedule an evaluation to get support before and after release—so your baby can feed and move with more ease.

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Myth: “Wearing shoes helps babies learn to walk.”Truth: Babies learn to walk best when they can feel the ground—and expe...
02/23/2026

Myth: “Wearing shoes helps babies learn to walk.”

Truth: Babies learn to walk best when they can feel the ground—and experience different textures.

When babies are learning to stand, cruise, and take those first wobbly steps, their feet are a major part of their sensory system. Barefoot time (when safe) helps the brain and body talk to each other more clearly.

Why barefoot (sometimes) wins:

👣 Better balance – Nerve receptors on the soles of the feet send information about pressure, surface, and weight shift to the brain. Shoes can mute that feedback.
👣 Stronger foot muscles – Barefoot movement activates the tiny muscles that help form arches and improve stability.
👣 Improved body awareness – Direct contact with the floor supports proprioception and postural control.
👣 More natural movement – Stiff or chunky shoes can change how babies practice push-off and weight shifting.

💡 Important:
We are not saying babies should never wear shoes. Shoes are great for protection outdoors.
But for skill-building? Give your new walker chances to explore barefoot or in socks on:
✔️ Carpet
✔️ Tile
✔️ Grass
✔️ Foam mats
✔️ Wood floors

Different textures = better sensory and motor learning.

At Strive Pediatrics, we use movement and play to support how babies walk, balance, and regulate—starting from the ground up.

If your baby seems hesitant to stand, avoids weight-bearing, or walks on toes or stiff legs, trust your gut.
DM us or book an evaluation to support healthy walking development.





"Why does my baby prefer feeding on one side?” Most parents notice this before anyone else does.One side feels calm.The ...
02/23/2026

"Why does my baby prefer feeding on one side?”

Most parents notice this before anyone else does.
One side feels calm.
The other feels like a struggle.
And it can leave you wondering if you are doing something wrong.

Here’s the truth: feeding isn’t just about milk.
It’s about how your baby’s body, mouth, and nervous system work together.

A side preference can be linked to:
• Neck tightness or a head-turn preference (torticollis)
• Difficulty rotating or organizing the body
• Sensory or vestibular sensitivities
• Oral motor coordination differences

When turning the head or stabilizing the body feels hard, one feeding position may feel safer than the other.
That’s not a habit — it’s communication.

You might also notice:
• Arching
• Short or frequent feeds
• Clicking or popping on/off
• Feeding better when sleepy

These are regulation clues, not behavioral problems.

This isn’t about panic.
It’s about patterns.
And early support can make feeding easier for both baby and parent.

At Strive Pediatrics, we look at feeding through a whole-body lens — supporting breathing, movement, oral motor skills, and regulation together.

If feeding feels stressful, uneven, or exhausting, trust your gut. DM us or book an evaluation to get clarity and a plan — you don’t have to figure this out alone. 💛





Myth: “Primitive reflexes disappear on their own.”Truth: Primitive reflexes integrate through movement, not time alone.P...
02/16/2026

Myth: “Primitive reflexes disappear on their own.”

Truth: Primitive reflexes integrate through movement, not time alone.

Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns babies are born with to support survival and early development—like the Moro (startle), ATNR (fencing reflex), and Spinal Galant. These reflexes are designed to be temporary. As babies move, roll, crawl, and explore, the brain learns to quiet these reflexes so higher-level skills (posture, coordination, attention, and emotional regulation) can turn on.

When reflexes don’t fully integrate, the nervous system may stay in a more reactive or inefficient state. This can show up as:

• Difficulty with balance or coordination
• Trouble sitting still or sustaining focus
• Big emotional reactions or low frustration tolerance
• Fine motor challenges (handwriting, grasping, feeding)
• Poor posture or fatigue with movement

The good news: Integration doesn’t happen by “waiting it out” or doing random drills.
It happens through intentional, developmentally appropriate movement—like crawling, rolling, weight-bearing, and bilateral play that supports the nervous system.

✨ If you’ve been told “they’ll grow out of it,” but your gut says something’s off—it may be worth a closer look.

At Strive Pediatrics, we use play-based OT/PT to support reflex integration, regulation, coordination, and overall development—so kids can move and feel better in their bodies.

If your child struggles with focus, coordination, or big emotions, DM us or schedule an evaluation to see if retained reflexes could be part of the picture.

Pacifier talk 🍼 Not all pacifiers are created equal — especially for babies with feeding challenges, reflux, tongue post...
02/11/2026

Pacifier talk 🍼

Not all pacifiers are created equal — especially for babies with feeding challenges, reflux, tongue posture concerns, or regulation difficulties.

✨ What we look for:
✔️ Soft
✔️ Cylindrical (round) ni**le shape
✔️ Encourages active sucking (not passive chewing)

Why? Because pacifiers can support tongue elevation, midline organization, jaw stability, and nervous system regulation — or work against them.

💛 Our go-to recommendations:
• Ninni Pacifier – super soft, breast-like, encourages true suction and tongue engagement
• Philips Avent (Soothie/Ultra Air) – symmetrical, cylindrical, supports functional suck patterns
• Momi Pacifier – long, round shape that promotes tongue cupping and lip seal
• Happi Paci (Dr. Brown’s) – soft, rounded ni**le that supports a natural tongue position and calming suck

🚫 Pacifiers we’re more cautious with:
• Very flat or “orthodontic” ni**les
• Extra stiff silicone
• Wide bases that limit tongue movement

👶 The right pacifier can be a tool — not a crutch — to support feeding patterns and nervous system regulation.

📌 Save this post + share with a parent who’s struggling with pacifier choices 🤍

Struggling with Feeding?
At Strive Pediatrics, our infant specialists — OTs, and PTs— provide holistic care to support:
✔️ Feeding
✔️ Breathing
✔️ Movement
✔️ Sleep

Schedule a free consultation
Download our free infant feeding resources on our website
Early support can make a big difference.Struggling with Feeding?
At Strive Pediatrics, our infant specialists — OTs, and PTs— provide holistic care to support:
✔️ Feeding
✔️ Breathing
✔️ Movement
✔️ Sleep

Schedule a free consultation
Download our free infant feeding resources on our website
Early support can make a big difference.

Myth:“It’s bad if my baby is supermanning during tummy time.”Truth:Supermanning (when a baby arches with arms and legs s...
02/09/2026

Myth:
“It’s bad if my baby is supermanning during tummy time.”

Truth:
Supermanning (when a baby arches with arms and legs straight back during tummy time) is not automatically bad.

This posture is often linked to the Landau reflex, a normal reflex that helps babies develop postural strength. Seeing it occasionally is part of typical development.

🚩 When it matters:
If your baby is always supermanning and:
• Can’t bring arms forward
• Struggles to push up on forearms
• Avoids tummy time
• Arches frequently during feeds or diaper changes

…it may mean their body is working too hard in extension and needs more support.

💡 What helps:
• Place toys in front of the hands (not overhead)
• Try elevated tummy time (on your chest or a towel roll)
• Add side-lying play
• Build in flexion-based play throughout the day

Supermanning isn’t a problem — it’s information.
And with the right support, babies can move more comfortably and confidently.

Address

2631 Gattis School Road 160 1
Round Rock, TX
78664

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