Paediatric Physiotherapy: How It Helps Children Thrive
It’s no secret that children grow and develop at a vast pace. But often they face challenges in the form of illnesses, injuries and chronic conditions which can impact their strength and their range of movement, cause pain or discomfort, and ultimately affect their quality of life. When challenges arise, a paediatric physiotherapist is on hand. Physiotherapy may help children develop strength, balance, coordination and posture to support their development. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is Paediatric Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapists work to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions that impact your bones, muscles, nerves, joints, ligaments, tendons and more. Paediatric physiotherapy is focused primarily on babies, children and young people, generally from birth up to the age of 18.
The need for physiotherapy could arise at any time. And when it arises for those who are still in their development years, it becomes essential to ensure appropriate care and education. Paediatric physiotherapists have the right knowledge of child development and childhood conditions to enable those who are aged under 18 to reach their full potential.
Conditions Treated
Paediatric physiotherapists have the knowledge and skill to diagnose and treat a diverse range of illnesses, injuries and conditions. Some issues can also be seen in adults but others are specific to children. They commonly assist with:
- Balance and co-ordination difficulties
- Congenital disorders such as spina bifida and limb deficiencies
- Developmental delay and learning difficulties
- Neuromuscular conditions such as muscular dystrophy
- Neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy
- Physical rehabilitation after a bone break or surgery
- Rheumatological conditions such as arthritis
- Sports injuries such as sprains and strains
…and much more. From simple, temporary conditions to chronic, lifelong conditions, a paediatric physiotherapist aims to achieve as much functional mobility and independence as possible for the baby, child or young person.
Physiotherapy Interventions: Techniques Used & The Use of Adaptive Equipment
When it comes to treatment, there are a large number of techniques used by paediatric physiotherapists. These include:
Play-based therapy
Physios aim to make therapy fun for children through play-based therapy. This is designed to promote motor skills while making the session engaging and enjoyable. They are able to develop their physical skills in a safe and positive environment with the help of the physiotherapist to ensure proper movement. This is often referred to as the cornerstone of paediatric physio because it increases the likelihood of the child making consistent progress.
Exercise and movement therapy
These programmes are designed to enhance physical function and promote normal movement. In babies this could aid their crawling and walking efforts. In children and young adults, this could aid their co-ordination and balance when running and playing other sports. Physiotherapists will focus on development and mobility to improve the child’s quality of life.
The use of adaptive equipment
Depending on the child’s needs, a paediatric physiotherapist could use adaptive equipment to assist with development and improve their independence. This equipment will commonly include custom orthotics to provide support and improve balance, alignment and posture. Other equipment could be walkers or gait trainers to aid mobility, therapy balls and swings for strengthening and sensory regulation and more. The use of adaptive equipment will be tailored specifically to the child’s needs for optimum results.
Goals of Treatment
Paediatric physiotherapy could have a multitude of goals, dependent on the patient’s condition.
These goals include:
Increasing strength
It’s important to build strength where needed to maximise the child’s quality of life. Paediatric physio sessions will work on exercises that will strengthen muscles so they can live as healthy and normal a lifestyle as possible. In temporary conditions such as a muscle strain, this exercise will restore proper strength. In chronic conditions, the physiotherapist will look to continuously increase strength to aid with the child’s day to day function.
Improving movement
A baby, child or young person may see a physiotherapist to improve movement by training typical patterns of movements. This could be restoring a full range of movement after an illness or injury, or improving range of motion for those with chronic conditions.
Reducing pain
One of the main benefits of paediatric physiotherapy is to reduce pain and discomfort, helping the baby, child or young person to live comfortably. They may work on balance, posture and alignment to reduce the stress or strain on certain parts of the body through techniques such as massage, joint manipulation, stretching and prescribing orthotics.
Providing education
When it comes to proper development for those aged 18 and below, education is essential. A paediatric physio not only diagnoses and treats a range of conditions, they also educate both the patient and their parents or guardians. This education could be in the form of understanding their function and how their body works, or it could be in the form of exercises to perform at home.
Holistic and Family-Centered Approach
It goes without saying that those around the baby, child or young person can have a significant impact on their development. Paediatric physiotherapists recognise this and often take a holistic and family-centered approach to support treatment progress.
This collaborative care could include:
- Collaboration with parents and guardians in the form of home exercise programmes that they are encouraged to do with the child between physio sessions
- Collaboration with schools to ensure that therapy goals are supported while the child is in the education system
- Education and emotional support that helps families to navigate their child’s condition in between therapy sessions
- Personalised treatment plans that are catered to the child’s interests, routine and lifestyle to maximise engagement
Speak to an Expert to Learn More
Do you want to learn more about how a paediatric physiotherapist can help children to thrive? Speak to the experts at Optimise Health. Providing a comprehensive range of treatment options, we’ll create personalised plans that cater to your child’s needs. Get started immediately by booking an appointment online or, for more information, get in touch with our friendly team.
