Ariana: Patient Testimonial about Debbie Straka-DeMarco, PT

My daughter, Ariana, was about 12 weeks old, when we noticed her tendency to look to one side and a flat spot that was developing on the back of her head, so we went to the pediatrician, who directed us to the , Craniofacial Team at Morristown Medical Center. Never did I expect to hear from the doctors that she had developed plagiocephaly and strongly recommended a cranial remolding helmet due to the asymmetry with her head and ears; nor that she had tortocollis and would need to begin PT immediately. They emphasized how critically important the PT treatments would be to our daughter’s development and if we had left untreated, it could affect her motor development, visual skills, oral motor and feeding skills and facial symmetry. By the time Ariana was 5 months old, we had begun the Physical Therapy sessions with Debbie, and within 2 weeks, I immediately started to see an improvement in Ariana.

Debbie is a very skilled therapist, as well as, a very warm and empathetic person. She immediately began educating us on stretching and positioning, use of tummy time and the importance of following through with home exercises. Debbie has been vigilant in helping my daughter reach those important milestones of sitting, crawling, and walking. She is detailed and thorough in her evaluations. She is attentive to our daughter’s needs, and is always cognizant of our goals as parents, working with us to help her accomplish them. These are only a few of her great qualities as a physical therapist. She has become much more than a therapist for our daughter; she is a good friend and advocate for the cause. We are happy to say that Ariana’s flat spot has disappeared and there are no signs of torticollis! Thank you Debbie!!! M.R.