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Physiotherapy Treatments for Babies

Paediatric Physiotherapy

Most people already have a good idea of what physiotherapy can do for adults. The benefits of physiotherapy are vast, helping people who have movement difficulties, especially those recovering from injury or accident, people suffering from body pains, weak skeletal structure, and the elderly. But not many people know that physiotherapy can also benefit babies and toddlers.

Immediately after birth, your child begins to experience rapid growth and physical development. These changes will affect the body structure, muscles and bone density. There are situations where children experience difficulties during this growth stage, and a paediatric physiotherapist is the best person to assess, treat and monitor your child’s unique needs throughout this stage.

A paediatric physiotherapist is someone who is an expert in early child development as it relates to movement and cognitive functions. Even though children are built differently from adults, the movement is no less important. In fact, it is a core aspect of their development from children into adults. If it looks like your baby is slow in exploring their body and environment, they will benefit from physiotherapy by someone who is trained in paediatrics.

Signs that show your baby need physiotherapy

There are a number of reasons why you should consider paediatric physiotherapy for your baby. Of course, just like adults, each child is unique and will likely develop at his or her own pace, but there are pointers to show that your child needs special physiotherapy care.

Some of the developmental disorders and difficulties that would warrant paediatric physiotherapy include:

  • Delay in achieving motor milestones: When you baby is taking too long to learn how to sit, crawl and walk, especially when children within the same age range have developed beyond that point.
  • Unusual movement: When you baby can move, but you notice that they are using unusual moving patterns when they should not, or when they should have outgrown them. For example, bottom shuffling or walking with their toes.
  • Undeveloped motor skills: When you baby is showing signs of undeveloped motor skills, such as the inability to move properly, jump, or perform other simple motor movements of children their age.
  • When you baby is uncoordinated or clumsy.
  • When your child has disabilities such as down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, dyslexia, muscular dystrophies, or any other cognitive conditions.
  • When you baby has any unique condition that affects their musculoskeletal system such as Plagiocephaly, clubfoot,Sever’s disease, or Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome.
  • When you baby has any rheumatological condition like arthritis, or myositis.
  • When you child is recovery from trauma caused by injury or accident that affects their movement and mobility.
  • When you child suffers from chronic respiratory conditions such as bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis or primary ciliary dyskinesia.

 

Whether it is one of these conditions or more, your baby will definitely benefit greatly from the services of a paediatric physiotherapist. At Brighton and Hove Physiotherapy and Osteopathy, our physical therapy is designed to help your child function at their maximum potential.

How physiotherapy can help your baby

When you bring your baby in for paediatric physiotherapy, you can expect a holistic approach to assessment. This is because every stage of your child’s development is interlinked, and you want an approach that will yield the most result. During your child’s appointment, a qualified physiotherapist will:

  • Assess your child’s motor skills and overall development using specific techniques that will show the problems, and how to properly handle them.
  • Identify the areas where your child is doing well, where they are having difficulties and why they are having these difficulties, so that a proper and effective treatment approach can be designed.
  • Design an effective treatment program that fully involves you and your child, which aims at addressing your child’s difficulties and maximizing their potentials.

 

An effective treatment approach will likely include direct physical therapy, exercises and activities aimed at improving your child’s condition, including activities that will be done at home and school. If there is need to, special equipment to support your child’s development such as splints and other orthotics devices will be recommended. A paediatric physiotherapist will also liaise with your child’s regular paediatrician and support providers so that the treatment can progress outside the facility.

Parents and caregivers are fully encouraged to participate in these activities, so that they can implement them for their children at home.

Getting proper help

Research has shown that early discovery and intervention can greatly improve the outlook for children with developmental delays, so recognizing and immediately treating developmental delay in your child is vital if you want them to get better and have a proper life.

If you are concerned about your baby’s development, don’t hesitate to seek expert advice. Call Brighton and Hove Physiotherapy and Osteopathy on 0000000000 to find out the best approach for your special child.

Babies FAQ’s

How common is developmental delay?
Developmental delay is one of the most common conditions affecting children. In fact, studies suggest that about 4% of children between the ages of 2 and 11 have developmental delays.

While this figure is surely a cause for concern, it doesn’t change the fact that proper paediatric physical therapy, when started on time, will significantly benefit a child in this condition.

Are developmental delays permanent?
There are two major types of developmental delays: short term developmental delays are those that sometimes happen when you give birth to a premature baby. This condition also happens for a number of reasons including physical illness and injury, prolonged hospital stay, and stress.

Developmental disabilities also known as permanent developmental delay is a condition that continues after childhood. In most cases, children with this condition will still experience delay in learning, skills and certain activities even when they reach school age. However early detection and intervention will also help these children catch up and improve over time.

Can a child with developmental delay catch up?
Developmental delays or disabilities is when you child is slow in meeting their developmental milestones. There are several reasons why this can happen, and several signs that identify this problem. While it can be difficult to determine the exact cause, early discovery and intervention is key if you want your child to catch up and eventually live a proper life.

Once you notice signs of developmental delay, you should consult an expert immediately because the faster the situation is handled, the quicker your child will catch up with his or her mates.

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