Physiotherapists who work in the field of paediatrics provide support and treatment services to the paediatric population. Paediatric physiotherapists possess specialised knowledge and training related to growth and development, syndromes as well as diagnoses within the paediatric filed.
Who do paediatric physiotherapists treat?
Paediatric physiotherapists are specialists in the assessment, identification, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of movement and physiological issues.
They treat children, infants up until the age of 18 years in the areas of orthopedics, congenital malformations, neurology, neuropsychiatry, breathing and prematurity. This includes developmental delay, neuromotor and/ or neuromotor problems.
Goals of treatment
Goals of treatment focus on components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). In particular that of participation and activity
performance. Paediatric physiotherapy treatment is based on a number of hands-on techniques, addressing pain management, exercises and interventions with the goal of addressing
functional impairments including muscle tone, strength, endurance, coordination, balance and posture, mobility and achieving an optimal range of motion improving, as
well as providing the learning opportunities needed for skill acquisition.
Some benefits of Paediatric Physiotherapy
- Improve posture and integrate reflexes of child
- Improve movement by training typical movement patterns.
- Improve milestones and gross motor skills.
- Improve functional mobility.
- Improve muscle balance and muscle strength.
- Improve balance and coordination.
- Improve range of motion.
- Improve muscle tone.
- Improved gait.
- Assist with respiratory difficulties.
- Assists in addressing learning difficulties.