What is Paediatric Physiotherapy?

18 April | Written By Phoebe Alexander

Do you know what ‘paediatric physio’ actually means and how it can help you and your children? The word ‘physio’ is often associated with sports injuries, massage and exercise. When I tell people that I am a physio for kids I often get asked…  “So, what do you actually do?”. Whilst many people have a basic understanding of what physios can do, not many know exactly how we can help children.

SO, what do we do? A lot, actually. Paediatric physiotherapy covers many areas. To put it simply though, paediatric physiotherapists are effectively #movement experts.  As humans, we use movement to do basically everything – breathe, talk, eat, drink, walk, run, dance, drive etc. However, babies and children move differently to adults. They are rapidly growing and changing, and as such are thinking, acting and moving differently than an adult body. It is the job of a physio working with kids to understand all the ways that movement occurs in children, and how they can best assist your child to thrive.

Movement in infants and children is often sequential and purposeful. Babies don’t just learn to crawl so that they can eventually walk, they use the movement skills learned from early infancy for physical, social and cognitive development. For example, movement is often used before verbal speech to communicate needs and interact socially. Babies will learn to wave hello, long before they develop the word. Shoulder strength gained from rolling and crawling, assists in development of fine motor skills and manual dexterity. Core strength gained from learning to sit, can assist in running, swimming and even singing.

Common ways in which paediatric physiotherapy can help your child include:

·        Infant gross motor development

·        Musculoskeletal concerns such as plagiocephaly, hip dysplasia and torticollis

·        Developmental movement concerns such as toe-walking, developmental delay, developmental co-ordination disorder

·        Physical disability management for disabilities such as cerebral palsy, down syndrome, spina bifida, and rare genetic disorders

·        Respiratory management in disorders including cystic fibrosis

·        Palliative care

·        Gross motor skill development for school readiness

·        Sports injuries, fractures and foot posture

·        Health and wellness including weight management and exercise

I am lucky to have worked with many babies and children over the years. I have done some really amazing things including seeing children take their first steps, fixing wheelchairs, strengthening muscles post-op, fitting orthotics and prosthetics, teaching children to ride bikes, and I have even been blessed to be entrusted in a team for end of life care.

So, if you have a concern about your child’s movement or development, or if you are still unsure if a physio can help, contact me today and I will do my best to help you.

Phoebe Alexander
Director | Physiotherapist
Paediatrics & Disability