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Paediatric Physiotherapy, Supporting Children’s Growth and Development

The entire process of child-upbringing during their infancy has a set of challenges wherein one of the most important considerations involves making sure that they reach the milestones of child physical development appropriately. 

Physical development in early childhood includes development of gross and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills includes a child’s ability to use large muscles in the body's movement such as running and jumping. Fine motor  skills are small movements that require hand strength and dexterity such as buttoning, zipping and feeding.

However, some children may face developmental challenges that require specialised intervention. Pediatric physiotherapy plays an important role in addressing these challenges, offering targeted support to enhance physical function and overall quality of life. This therapy ensures they can continue to grow, explore, and reach their full potential.

 

What Is Pediatric Physiotherapy?

Pediatric physiotherapy (also known as paediatric physical therapy) is helpful in teaching kids to improve and develop their physical skills. This is a medical service designed to help children (from infancy through 19 years) with developmental delays, muscle weakness/poor coordination, musculoskeletal disorders/injuries and/or neurological/brain based disorders like cerebral palsy. Advantage Healthcare & Physiotherapy is a Wynnum physiotherapy clinic that specialises in the treatment of children and babies.

Treatment generally consists of various hands-on techniques, physical exercises and interventions designed to repair functional disabilities such as muscle stiffness, strength, flexibility, balance coordination, posture, mobility and range of motion.

Pediatric physiotherapists are guided by the ICF model to tailor their approach to each child's specific limitations, focusing on how physical issues impact daily activities and participation in life. The therapist works closely with both the child and the family, to ensure that therapy is tailored to the specific needs of the client and support overall development and increase independence.

 

Common Conditions Treated by a Paediatric Physio

Children’s physiotherapy can help with a large range of conditions, including: 

 

  1. Delayed Developmental Milestones

Concerns arise when a child has missed or is delayed getting a motor milestone within a general timeframe. Various factors, including genetics and environment, may contribute to these delays. However, paediatric physiotherapy can assist in addressing such developmental issues.

Symptoms

 

  • Trouble with fine motor skills.
  • Delays in rolling over, sitting up, crawling and walking.
  • Trouble with problem-solving.
  • Problems understanding what others say.
  • Difficulty remembering things.
  • Issues with social skills.
  • Problems talking or talking late.
  • Inability to connect actions with consequences.

Pediatric Physiotherapy can help:

 

  • Finding out what's slowing them down
  • Strengthening muscles
  • Enhancing balance and coordination
  • Keeping a child on track with  motor milestones
  • Improve their confidence

  1. Muscle Strains and Ligament Sprains

Muscle strains and ligament sprains are common injuries in active children, particularly those involved in sports or are active on playgrounds. 

 

As with adults with strains and sprain be treated in a physiotherapy clinic such as Wilston Physiotherapy & Massage, children can also be treated for the similar conditions.

 

A sprain refers to the stretching, twisting, or tearing of a ligament, usually arising from a fall or an impact and often occurring along the ankles, knees, or wrists. Sprains vary in their severity in terms of the extent of stretching, partial rupture, or complete rupture of the ligaments.

Strains involve the pulling or tearing of the muscle or pulling of the tendons off their attachments and are usually caused by sudden overstretching or abrupt contraction of the muscles, though they can be caused gradually by repetition of similar movements.

Strains involve the pull or tear of muscles or tendons, which happens either suddenly from overstretching or gradually from doing the same movement over and over.

 

Symptoms:

 

  • Swelling
  • Weakness
  • Redness, warmth, or bruising

Pain while using the affected body part or having limited ability to move the part

Pediatric Physiotherapy can help:

 

  • Alleviate pain and control inflammation
  • Clinically diagnose any orthopaedic or sports injury
  • Improve mobility and flexibility through gentle exercises and stretches in the affected area.
  • Strengthen muscles through exercises targeting the muscles in the area of injury.
  • Prevent future sports injuries by guiding on correct techniques, posture, and movements which minimize the chance of re-injury.

  1. Neurological Conditions

Neurological conditions affect the thinking, learning, and development of children and may be associated with other conditions like cerebral palsy and movement disorders. Many of these conditions will require long-term management to enhance the quality of life of the child and foster independence. Some of the most common neurological conditions treated by Children's Physiotherapy include:

 

  • Spina bifida
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Duchenne muscular dystrophy
  • Acquired brain injuries
  • Stroke
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Developmental condition disorders

Paediatric Physiotherapy can help:

 

  • Improve mobility
  • Strength and balance training
  • Promote better posture
  • Reducing long term complications
  • Increase independence overall
  • Enhance the quality of the child’s life

The Role of Physiotherapy Intervention

The sooner the treatment starts, the better, as early treatment can help correct issues before they turn into a much bigger or more chronic issue. Therapy takes advantage of the child's natural ability to adapt and learn new movements because a child's brain is much more plastic than adults; therefore, new neurological pathways are much easier to create.

Early treatment can help the patient avoid complications such as joint stiffness, muscle tightness, and bad posture, especially in cerebral palsy or post-brain injury causes. When a muscle is continuously kept in a shortened position, it would result in the muscle developing contractures and may result in losing that range of motion in the joint. This is important for enabling standing, walking, or even cleaning in a child.

 

Treatment Techniques Used by a Paediatric Physio

Pediatric physiotherapists use many techniques to meet the specific needs of children. Most of the techniques are playful and engaging in nature, with the sole aim of maintaining the child's interest and participation in treatment. Techniques include:

 

1. Play-Based Therapy

Play-based therapy is a treatment involving fun activities in which a child participates, hence making rehabilitation not only enjoyable but very engaging, too. This is very effective, since children are more compliant to the tasks if they are game-like and will maintain their focus. These might be games that target specific muscle groups, coordination or general physical activities.

For example, a catch game can be incorporated to develop hand-eye coordination as well as arm muscles. The context of play reduces resistance and irritation, and children are, therefore, able to execute exercises that would have otherwise seemed uninteresting and repetitive. This also enhances the level of confidence in a child as they experience progress in a less stressful way.

2. Stretching and Strengthening Exercises

Stretching and strengthening exercises are intended to improve mobility, strength, and overall physical development. Such exercises are important in developing the child's ability to perform daily living activities, function socially and academically, and build independence and confidence. 

 

There are three main types of exercises usually adopted in pediatric physical therapy, including:

 

Stretching Exercises:

 

  • Targeted at improving flexibility and range of motion
  • Facilitate sitting, standing, and walking at their best
  • Assist children to achieve all the aspects of range of motion in various joints

Core Strengthening Exercises

 

  • Allow the child to sit upright and maintain balance
  • Essential exercise required for academic and social participation
  • Allow basic stability or foundation required for various activities

Leg Strengthening Exercises

 

  • Enhancing the child's ability to stand, walk, and run
  • Improvement in daily-to-day activities like playing sports and climbing stairs
  • Contributions to total mobility and independence

3. Balance & Gait Training

 

Balance and gait (walking) are very important in helping a child move around safely and independently. A therapist uses such exercises for balance training that enhance coordination, standing on one leg, or walking along a line. Gait training involves drills that help children to learn how to walk or run with proper form, which reduces the risk of falling and increases their ability to join others in physical activities.

For children with developmental delays or physical impairments, achieving even basic improvements in balance and walking can significantly enhance their quality of life and ability to engage in social and school activities independently.

 

4. Assistive Devices

Assistive devices play a crucial role in pediatric physiotherapy, especially for children with mobility challenges or physical impairments. These devices can include walkers, wheelchairs, splints, or braces. 

The goal is to provide children with the support they need to move around independently, whether they are developing walking skills or need assistance due to a physical limitation. 

 

5. Family Education

Family education is the most important part of pediatric physiotherapy to ensure the long-term efficacy of the child. The therapists teach the parents and siblings how to continue the exercises at home and reinforce any improvement achieved in the clinical area. 

It is thereby guaranteed that the children will develop better physical skills or improve faster, with these activities continued outside the treatment area. Family education empowers the parents to be active participants in the care of their child and helps them with the various resources that might enable the child to develop in an environment that is better known to them. 

This collaboration between the therapist and family contributes much to the efficiency of treatment.

 

Other Benefits of Paediatric Physiotherapy

  • Paediatric physiotherapy improves a child’s physical health by enhancing flexibility, strength, gait, and coordination, which are essential for daily activities and play.
  • It boosts a child’s confidence by helping them keep up with their peers, enabling them to take risks and develop like other children.
  • Improved mobility through physiotherapy enhances social interaction, allowing children to participate in games, play, and sports.
  • Paediatric physiotherapy supports cognitive development, as physical movement is closely connected to brain development in young children.

Final Thoughts

Paediatric physiotherapy is an important service that helps in the development of children’s skills and abilities.

This treatment helps a wide range of children from those with more severe neurological difficulties to those with a slight development delay. 

It helps build confidence, foster independence, and improve the quality of life for children facing various physical challenges. With the support of the parent and pediatric physiotherapy, every child has the potential to reach their physical and developmental milestones, setting the stage for a healthy, active future.