DMI Therapy in Idaho: What Parents Need to Know
DMI therapy (Dynamic Movement Intervention) is a hands-on technique physical and occupational therapists use to help children with motor delays build the automatic balance and posture that sitting, crawling, and walking depend on. In Idaho, you can find it in Coeur d'Alene and Boise.
This site is an independent, non-commercial guide for parents. It explains what DMI is, who it can help, what the research shows so far, and how to choose a DMI-certified therapist in Idaho.
What is DMI therapy?
Dynamic Movement Intervention, or DMI, is a therapeutic technique used in pediatric physical and occupational therapy. Its goal is to improve a child's automatic postural responses, the unplanned adjustments that keep the body upright, and to help the child progress toward milestones like rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, and walking.
DMI was introduced by two physical therapists, Jake Kreindler and Jo-Anne Weltman. Both PTs and OTs train in it, and Ascend Pediatric Therapy, the Idaho provider on this site, was founded by an occupational therapist.
What is Dynamic Movement Intervention?How does DMI therapy work for children?
The therapist sets up an exercise against gravity, places their hands at specific points on your child's body, and waits for your child to respond actively. Each exercise is repeated around five times, and a session moves through many different exercises.
As your child gets stronger, the therapist gives less support, for example holding at the ankles instead of the hips. The less support your child gets, the more their own muscles and balance do the work.
What a DMI session looks likeWho can DMI therapy help?
DMI says it is a good fit for most children with motor delays, from babies who are not rolling yet to children who walk but need help with stairs and uneven ground. Choose a condition to read more:
Cerebral palsy 
Down syndrome 
Hypotonia (low muscle tone) 
Global developmental delay 
Prematurity and NICU graduates DMI also lists genetic and chromosomal disorders, acquired brain injury, and spinal cord lesions. See all conditions
Does DMI therapy work?
Families and therapists have documented real progress with DMI, and the research is still catching up. There is no published controlled study of DMI yet, so no one can tell you how well it will work for your child. Here is what has been documented so far.
DMI's own FAQ says practitioners see the benefits in the children they treat, and that case studies will build the evidence over time. Those are reports, not study results.
Read our research updatesWhere can I find DMI therapy in Idaho?
This site lists one Idaho DMI provider, Ascend Pediatric Therapy in Coeur d'Alene. Families elsewhere in Idaho can search DMI's own directory.
Ascend Pediatric Therapy
DMI therapyDMI intensivesFounded by Emily Sater, OTR/L, an occupational therapist with several DMI certifications. Ascend lists 1-week and 2-week intensives, Monday to Friday, with one or two 55-minute sessions a day, plus weekly or biweekly DMI sessions between intensives. Ascend has also run outreach intensives in Boise, and it offers a free consultation.
See Ascend's DMI servicesNot in northern Idaho? Everything about DMI on this site applies wherever you live. DMI keeps a Registered Practitioners directory that shows each practitioner's location, and some practitioners offer telehealth consults or traveling intensives. Planning a trip? Read traveling for a DMI intensive first, and check what DMI therapy costs before you commit.
How do I find a DMI-certified therapist in Idaho?
Start with certification level. DMI training runs through six stages: Introductory Levels A, B, and C, Intermediate Levels A and B, and Master/Teacher. Only therapists who have completed Level C may offer an official DMI Therapy Intensive.
DMI's Registered Practitioners directory shows trained therapists near you, and its list is updated as new practitioners finish training. A therapist should be glad to tell you which level they have completed.
DMI certification levels explainedWhat should I ask a DMI therapist before starting?
- Which DMI level have you completed, and can you offer an official DMI intensive?
- What would you aim for with a child like mine, and over what timeframe?
- Do you recommend weekly sessions or an intensive for my child, and why?
- How will DMI fit with the therapy my child already gets?
- Do you accept my insurance, and what does an intensive cost?
- What would tell us it isn't working?
Is there free pediatric therapy in Idaho?
If your child is under 3, yes. Idaho's Infant Toddler Program provides early intervention for children from birth to 3 who have a developmental delay or a condition that may cause one, such as prematurity or Down syndrome. Services are provided at no cost to families, and you can apply on your own, without a doctor's referral.
Children on Idaho Medicaid may also qualify for therapy through EPSDT coverage when it is medically necessary. DMI works alongside other therapy, so it can be added to the services your child already gets.
Not sure where to begin?
If a pediatrician just told you to look into OT or PT, start with what that recommendation means for your family. If you want a path through this site based on where you are now, go to Start here first.
Already in therapy and not seeing progress? Our guide to when therapy isn't working covers how to tell whether progress is on track, how to get a second opinion, and other approaches to ask about.
Common questions about DMI therapy in Idaho
What is DMI therapy?
DMI (Dynamic Movement Intervention) is a technique physical and occupational therapists use to help children with motor delays improve their automatic postural responses and progress toward milestones like sitting, crawling, and walking.
How does DMI therapy work for children?
The therapist sets up exercises against gravity, waits for the child to respond actively, and repeats each exercise around five times. Support moves lower on the body as the child gets stronger.
Where can I find DMI therapy near Boise, Idaho?
Ascend Pediatric Therapy in Coeur d'Alene offers DMI intensives and has run outreach intensives in Boise. To find a trained therapist closer to Boise, search DMI's Registered Practitioners directory, which shows each practitioner's location.
Is DMI therapy better than regular physical therapy?
No published study has compared them yet, so no one can say. DMI is a technique PTs and OTs use inside therapy, and it is used alongside your child's current therapy, not instead of it.
Can any DMI-trained therapist offer a DMI intensive?
No. Only therapists who have completed DMI Level C may offer an official DMI Therapy Intensive.
Is there free pediatric therapy in Idaho?
For children under 3, Idaho's Infant Toddler Program provides early intervention services at no cost to families, and parents can apply without a doctor's referral.
Keep reading
Sources
- DMI Therapy. Parent Resources and FAQ.
- DMI Therapy. Registered Practitioners.
- Oreščanin L, Biloglav Z, Škrlec I. Early Motor Development and Rehabilitation Outcomes in Apert Syndrome: Gross Motor Function Measures-Case Report. Pathophysiology. 2026;33(1):23.
- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07238634 and NCT06270550.
- Ascend Pediatric Therapy. Services, About, and home page (family reviews, Boise outreach).
- Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. About the Infant Toddler Program.
- Medicaid.gov. Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment.
Idaho DMI is an independent, non-commercial parent resource. It does not provide therapy and receives nothing from the providers listed. Nothing here is medical advice. Updated October 15, 2026.