PEDIATRIC PHYSIOTHERAPY -

Pediatric Physiotherapy is a branch of physiotherapy that focuses on treating movement and movement-based disorders in children from 0 – 18yrs of age. A physiotherapist looks into the details of movement, like quality, range, pattern, and timing. The therapist will also look into balance, coordination, posture, gait disorders, motor milestones, and muscle performance. Based on the observation, an assessment will be done to find where the issue lies and what kind of treatment is best for gaining functional movement.

Pediatric physiotherapy treat a wide variety of acute and chronic conditions. Pediatric physiotherapists treat neurological, developmental, cardiorespiratory, and orthopedic conditions in children with a focus on improving function and increasing independence. Physiotherapy has a positive and significant impact on pulmonary function, motor control, muscle strength, and physical endurance in pediatric patients. These health professionals have a good understanding of typical child development and how this relates to body systems and functions.  

Pediatric Physiotherapy

BENEFITS OF PEDIATRIC PHYSIOTHERAPY -

  • Improves posture and reflexes of child
  • Makes movement easier by training more typical patterns of movements.
  • Improves gross motor skills.
  • Improves functional mobility.
  • Improves muscle balance and muscle strength.
  • Improves balance and coordination.
  • Improves range of motion.
  • Improves muscle tone.
  • Improved gait training.
  • Assists in learning difficulties.

TYPES OF PEDIATRIC PHYSIOTHERAPY -

No two children will receive the same treatment. Similarly, as each child comes with different concerns, the treatment protocol will differ for each child. Let us look into the types of physiotherapy in the paediatric population:

  • Neonatal Physiotherapy

These are a set of management protocols focusing on neonates to help them survive. This includes chest physiotherapy, positioning, orofacial stimulation, passive movements, and multimodal sensory-motor stimulation.

  • Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapy

This form of therapy is mainly focused on kids who have neurological disorders with gross motor developmental delay or kids with gross motor developmental delay without any other central nervous system. The techniques here aim to achieve gross motor milestones, manage spasticity, and improve balance and coordination. Some techniques include NDT(Neuro Developmental Therapy),  taping techniques, functional electrical stimulation, balance and coordination training, including Frenkel’s exercises. 

  • Orthopedic Pediatric Physiotherapy

Kids who receive this service are largely those involved in sports, have congenital deformities, or have met with any injury to their muscles or ligaments. The approach is completely different, with strategies that include treating pain and spasms, improving strength and endurance, and correcting deformities and posture, with the aim of eventually bringing them back to their normal daily activities.

Treatment includes using machines to relieve pain and spasms, scar mobilization, stretching and strengthening of the muscles, endurance training, contrast therapy, and heat and cold therapy.

  • Cardiopulmonary Pediatric Physiotherapy

Techniques include chest physiotherapy, positioning, breathing exercises, respiratory muscle strengthening techniques.

Physiotherapy session will combine all these depending on the child’s needs.

Some of the widely used treatment techniques are:

  • Passive Movements

A passive movement is a form of technique wherein the therapist will perform anatomical and functional movements on the child without the child actively participating in it. This technique is mainly used to teach movements to the child, reduce spasticity, and prevent joint stiffness or deformity.

  • Stretching and Strengthening Exercises

This involves making the kid do exercises that will strengthen weak muscles and stretch tight muscles. A weight cuff, theraband, gravity, or the child’s own weight will be used for strengthening purposes.

Stretching exercises help to reduce tightness or spasticity. Dynamic stretching is usually preferred over passive stretching.

  • NDT (Neuro-Developmental Therapy)

NDT is a hands-on technique used to correct and teach movements in children who lack movement. The fundamental point of NDT is to repeatedly expose the child to movements so that he/she can gain movement control and can learn to use a wide range of movements in his/her daily life.

  • Chest Physiotherapy

Chest physiotherapy is used when a child has a hard time clearing the secretion in the chest. It encompasses different techniques like percussion, vibration, postural drainage, and suctioning which is done step by step to allow effective clearing. This treatment is used in children with pneumonia, ARDS (Acute respiratory distress syndrome), acute bronchiolitis, and so on.

PEDIATRIC CONDITIONS -