Can Pediatric Physiotherapists Improve Quality Of Life?
Have you ever wondered exactly what pediatrics physiotherapists treats? Have you thought to yourself… why would a child even need physiotherapy? Well, there are many conditions that require children to seek the help of a qualified physiotherapist.
For example, our pediatric physiotherapists can help with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, development delay, sports injuries and postural challenges, just to name a few.
The benefits in working with a physio specialist are numerous. First, the rehabilitation plan will help the child regain confidence, improve motivation and help them learn new types of exercises. The child’s motor skills will improve along with their overall flexibility and strength of their muscles.
In this post we will be talking about these conditions and why it is important to see a qualified pediatric physiotherapist.
1. Cerebral Palsy
Did you know that early physiotherapy intervention for cerebral palsy or any other neurological condition, has been demonstrated to improve function in young children.
The therapy can help to reduce the negative impacts of soft tissue changes such as muscle stiffness and joint contractures. It’s also important to note that early intervention allows the physiotherapist to tailor treatment for your child’s evolving needs as he or she grows.
Janna Marvyn, a pediatric physiotherapist at Pillars of Wellness in Burlington, Ontario has been treating children from birth to adulthood. Her experience in treating cerebral palsy has proven beneficial.
Brandy, a 4-year-old child living with cerebral palsy was participating in Physiotherapy for over 4 months; and was making steady progress in her mobility, functional independence in her everyday life and improvement in her overall quality of life.
Physiotherapy Can also help:
- Reduce or help to manage spasticity
- Improve strength and endurance
- Reduction of pain
- Prevent additional injuries
2. Sport Injuries
Pediatric physiotherapists are well versed on how to treat your developing child’s musculoskeletal injuries. They are able to assess your child’s physical injuries and use age-appropriate interventions to ensure a safe return to sports or other activities.
The benefits of seeing a pediatric physiotherapists versus a regular physiotherapist is their knowledge related to infant and child development. A younger body and a less developed brain must be treated differently from an adult.
Let’s take for example Ron, a 10 year-old boy with lots of energy. In the last two years, he suffered from various sports injuries, such as a fractured wrist while playing basketball and soft tissue injuries to his knee while playing soccer. Ron attended Physiotherapy treatment after each injury, making a fast a full recovery. Ron was not only getting better, but he enjoyed therapy and it was relevant to his day to day life and his needs as a child.
Physiotherapy Can Help:
- Clinically diagnose any orthopaedic or sports injury
- Reduce pain and inflammation
- Increase flexibility
- Prevent other sports injuries
3. Posture
Does your child present like they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders? For the past year, due to COVID19, many children have been participating in e-learning from home, sitting most of the day in front of a computer screen with less than optimum postures.
Our children have learned to adapt to the new style of learning, but has their workstation also adapted? Many parents were not able to offer a proper ergonomic setup for their children, many are sitting on their beds, on a couch or even the kitchen table. Bad posture can create back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and even impact on their ability to learn.
Pediatric physiotherapists can help! With a well trained eye, they can address key areas of improvement to maximize your child’s posture and alignment!
Physiotherapy Can Help:
- Optimize breathing, alignment, and core
- Educate on positioning of computers/devices to optimize posture
- Joint mobilization
- Muscles fatigue
4. Down Syndrome
Early intervention can help improve motor skills and improve their overall level of function. Treatment is not limited to Physiotherapy, often times integration of speech therapy and occupational therapy can help progress the child further in life skills. With support and treatment, many people with Down syndrome live happy and productive lives.
Physiotherapy specifically focuses on motor skills. Motor skills are key for physical function, but also impact cognitive development.
- Reaching and grasping
- Sitting promotes the use of arms and hands for playing
- Walking allows to explore the world around them
- Motor skills development helps to improve independence which in return increases opportunities for social interaction
- Promotes language learning
Physiotherapy treatment for Down’s syndrome includes:
- Exercise programmes
- Postural advice
- Strengthening and stretching exercises
- Balance exercises
Want to learn more about pediatrics physiotherapy?
This is just a quick outline of what pediatric physiotherapists can treat. In reality, their skills are endless. They can treat just about any condition that impairs movement, balance or coordination. Their skills are unique to children and the developing body.
Feel free to contact Pillars of Wellness, in Burlington Ontario. Janna Marvyn will be delighted to speak with you. She is both passionate and knowledgeable and is always ready to support your childs’ development..
Shree Solanki, Physiotherapy
