What is a Child Physio – Baby, Childhood, and Beyond

When you hear Physiotherapist or Physio, the words rehab, sports injury, sprains and strains may come to mind. Most people have heard of Physiotherapists and have some understanding of their role in health care, and probably even know of someone; a friend, relative, or work colleague who is having physio at the moment.

But did you know that children can have physiotherapy too? As children are “not just little adults”, they have growing skeletal systems that make them predisposed to a whole range of conditions and injuries unique to this period of their life. In fact, because of this they need to be seen by expert clinicians with training in this specialist area.

I am a Child Physio with 15 years clinical experience and post graduate masters level training in Advanced Paediatric Physiotherapy. I have a particular interest in the assessment and management of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries that occur to the growing muscles, bones, and joints from newborn age right through to adolescence.

I am incredibly passionate about spreading awareness of Paediatric Physiotherapy and providing parents with evidence based information on their child’s physical development through every stage. From bonding with your newborn during tummy time, to fun activities that help your child master play equipment, to encouraging them to participate in active hobbies throughout their teens. At The Child Physio I empower parents to help their baby reach their physical milestones, manage any growth related conditions, and rehab children with sports injuries, all while nurturing healthy futures. Sound good?

So what conditions can a child physio help with exactly, and how do you know when is the right time to visit a child physio? Read on for my top tips on the most common conditions to look out for at each age range and when physio can help.

Baby & Toddler (Newborn - 3years)

Specialist physio’s will be happy to see babies from newborn as evidence shows that the earlier these conditions are detected and managed the quicker the improvement and better the outcomes. Paediatric Physio’s can help to assess, diagnose, and provide advice such as stretches, positioning ideas and activities to help manage the following conditions;

• Flat spots on babies head such as Plagiocephaly
• Head turning preference +/- torticollis (neck tightness causing head to tilt to one side and turn to the opposite side)
• Foot posture concerns such as talipes, or any foot stiffness
• Hip concerns
• Shoulder/ arm concern following birth e.g. Erb’s Palsy

• Any delay in physical development e.g. learning to roll, sit, crawl, or walk
• Head to toe baby assessments for reassurance, any parental concern

Children (4-12years)

Children are “not just little adults”, they have a growing skeletal system and are therefore predisposed to the following conditions and muscle imbalance and mechanical joint pain while growing. It is often when children reach school age and start to participate in PE and more physically challenging hobbies that the following signs and symptoms and conditions can present.

• Concern with walking pattern
• Joint pain or stiffness
• Muscle pain or tightness
• Mechanical pain during activity or play
• Increased joint flexibility “hypermobility”
• Rehab post fracture
• Rheumatological conditions e.g. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)
• Difficulty performing an activity e.g. running, jumping, standing on one leg

Adolescence (12years +)

As our young people go through their pre-adolescent growth spurt and hormonal changes they can be more susceptible to injuries. It is important to see a specialist paediatric physiotherapist who is aware of the anatomy of a growing skeletal system and the areas of the body that are more prone to injury at this time and how to manage and treat these injuries.

• Sports injuries
• Posture concerns
• Back pain or injury
• Joint or muscle pain
• Chronic pain conditions
• Rheumatological conditions

Over the next few months I’ll be writing blog post’s shining a spotlight on each of the children’s musculoskeletal conditions mentioned above. In the meantime, do let me know in the comments if you’ve found this blog helpful, and comment which conditions you would like to read more about first. Thanks for reading.

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