In Physiotherapy we aim to rehabilitate and improve children with movement disorder by using evidence-based, natural methods such as exercise, motivation, adapted equipment and education. We support a child’s motor development in order to maximize his/her function and independence in all settings: home, school and in the community.
- Assess the child’s problem by interviewing children and their families, and use physical examination to diagnose the source of the child’s movement difficulties.
- Devise a special program to suit each child’s needs. The program may involve the use of balance, strength and co-ordination activities, toys, games, gym equipments or other special equipment to treat musculoskeletal, neurologic, orthopedic disorders, balance and coordination problems, gait disorders, delayed gross motor development and posture and movement abnormalities
- Monitor the child’s progress and alter the program as the child improves, develops and grows.
- Help the family understands the child’s problem and teach parents or carers the skills to develop the child’s ability to perform everyday tasks. Educating and advising them about how to prevent and/or improve conditions
- Give advice regarding footwear or prescription of equipment to improve the child’s skills and function.
- Keeping up to date with new techniques and technologies available for treating patients
- Work in conjunction with other health professionals to meet all the child’s needs in a thorough and comprehensive way.
- Refer the child to other health professionals within the hospital, when appropriate.
Pediatric physiotherapy covers a wide range of clinical practice and conditions, some which are similar to those seen in adults and some which are specific to children
- Neuromuscular disorders e.g. Muscular Dystrophy
- Acute injuries e.g. Fractures, Sports Injuries
- Neurological conditions e.g. Cerebral Palsy, Head Injury
- Respiratory conditions e.g. Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis
- Rheumatologic conditions e.g. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Congenital disorders e.g. Spinal Bifida, Limb Deficiencies
- Orthopedic conditions e.g. Tulips, Torticollis, Plagiocephaly
- Congenital syndromes and metabolic diseases
- Neonatal care
- Developmental delay
- Co-ordination difficulties
- Conditions where mobility is affected e.g. Ontological illness
- Burns
- Hydrocephalus
- Motor dysfunction
- Trauma / Injury
Treatment and Intervention
- Neuro developmental therapy (NDT): Children with delayed milestones are given NDT which helps them to attain their milestones. A combination of exercises, postures, and various equipments is used to achieve the purpose.
- Manual techniques like manual and postural stretching is done to reduce the spasticity. This helps the children to have a normal muscle tone so that they can perform their activities and daily living rather easily.
- Strengthening: Since muscles tend to be weak in a child with cerebral palsy, working with specific muscle groups enables them to help support a child’s body better and increase its overall functioning. Strengthening of the weak muscles is being done by the therapist either manually or with the help of dumbbells, therabands, gym balls, medicine balls, and various other equipments.
- Mat exercises: Mat exercises help the children to achieve the developmental goals in a safe and a more practical environment.
- Positioning: Holding the body in a specific position as well as transitioning between positions are vital for a child with cerebral palsy to increase mobility and independence.
- Gym activities: Gym activities in Prayaas are broadly divided into
Activities: Simple and basic activities with very minimal effort are done in this gym. This is basically meant for children aged 0-5 years
Gym Activities: More complex and harder activities are performed in gym. These are basically meant for children above 5 years of age.
Gait training : Gait training is given to make the child learn the right way to walk. Parallel bars may be used to help with gait training, especially in the early stages when a patient is first learning or re-learning to walk. They involve a person walking between two handrails to support themselves, often with the therapist either helping to support the patient or physically moving the patient’s legs. Gait trainer or other gait aids are also utilized.
Balance training: Balance training is to strengthen the muscles used during standing and walking with the help of different equipments such as balance board etc.
Electrical stimulation: Electrical stimulation technique uses electrical currents to activate nerves innervating extremities affected in different conditions.
Orthotic recommendations: Orthotics are an externally applied device used to modify the structural and functional characteristics of the neuromuscular and skeletal system
An orthotic may be used to:
- Control, guide, limit and/or immobilize an extremity, joint or body segment for a particular reason
- To restrict movement in a given direction
- To assist movement generally
- To reduce weight bearing forces for a particular purpose
- To otherwise correct the shape and/or function of the body, to provide easier movement capability or reduce pain
To aid rehabilitation from fractures after the removal of a cast