Paediatric Conditions Treated

Our specialist paediatric physiotherapists have a large amount of experience of working with children with a wide variety of different conditions and problems. Below you will find a description of some of the conditions that we commonly see and can help with.

It is however almost impossible to list every single childhood pathology and so if your child's condition or particular problem isn’t listed then please get in touch anyway as it is likely that our paediatric specialists will be able to be of assistance. Our home visit physiotherapy service is based in Lichfield and serves surrounding areas such as Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Rugeley, Cannock and Walsall.

Delayed Gross Motor Development

This is an extremely common issue that parents and children face and will often have been identified by either yourself or your health visitor at one of their checks. Some children and babies may be struggling to meet their gross motor milestones such as sitting unaided, crawling or walking and can benefit from help from a paediatric physiotherapist.

There are a variety of reasons for these delays in development (sometimes it is completely normal) and it is important that if you have concerns that you seek help. Our paediatric physiotherapist will be able to help your child achieve these milestones by facilitating movements, assisting you in understanding how to help your child and by giving you a plan to move forward with. Sessions can be at home, in nursery or school.

Coordination Difficulties

Many children, when young have difficulties with their co-ordination (especially those on the autistic spectrum) and may have balance problems and fall over more often than their peers. Physiotherapy can be extremely helpful in improving these coordination problems, aiding those with dyspraxia and improving balance and reducing falls. Our paediatric physiotherapist will be able to advise you on how best to help your child, give you a program of specialised exercises and games to follow and will work one on one with your child to help them improve their balance and coordination.

Cerebral Palsy

This is a condition that affects a large number of children in the UK and is thought to be caused by problems in pregnancy. It causes a wide range of movement, balance and strength problems and regular and intensive paediatric physiotherapy is vital to help children with Cerebral Palsy.

If your child has Cerebral Palsy our specialist paediatric physiotherapist will be able to help you and your child either at home or in school. For more information regarding Cerebral Palsy please click here to read our latest article on the subject.

Down's Syndrome

Children born with congenital conditions such as Down's Syndrome will often have secondary issues with balance, strength and movement and can benefit greatly from physiotherapy to improve these issues. At ThreeSpiresPhysiotherapy our specialist physiotherapist has worked with many children with Down Syndrome and will be able to help you with developing exercises and games that will help improve their balance, strength and movement.

 Muscular Dystrophy 

This is a neuromuscular condition that affects a significant number of children in the UK (mostly boys). It causes muscle weakness, loss of strength, and makes moving difficult for children affected. Physiotherapy can help with maintaining range of motion at each joint, assist with postural management, improve strength and help improve quality of life. Our paediatric physiotherapist has worked with a lot of children with varying forms of muscular dystrophy including Becker's and the most common form Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Spina Bifida

This is a birth defect of the spinal cord where the backbone and membranes do not form completely around one part leaving the cord exposed. It can cause a wide range of symptoms including muscle weakness, difficulties with gait and mobility. Children with spina bifida will benefit from having regular and intensive physiotherapy to improve strength, assist with balance and improve movement.

Acquired Brain Injury

Brain injuries can cause a wide range of physical symptoms in children including reduced strength, difficulties with balance, coordination, postural control and walking. If your child has had a brain injury which has caused physical problems then it is important that they receive early intervention by a specialised paediatric physiotherapist.

Stroke

Unfortunately, despite the majority of strokes affecting elderly patients children and young adults do sometimes suffer a stroke (CVA) and will require a large amount of intensive physiotherapy to help regain normal movements and maximise mobility. Physiotherapy is vital for these children to allow them to re-establish normal movements, improve postural control, strengthen muscles and overall maximise quality of life.

Post- Surgical

After specialised surgery such as a selective dorsal rhizotomy children will require physiotherapy to aid recovery and maximise the benefits of the surgery.

For more information regarding selective dorsal rhizotomy please click here.

 Physiotherapy can also help recovery from any orthopaedic procedures that your child may undergo such as tendon lengthening.

Biomechanical Problems

There are a wide variety of biomechanical issues that children can have difficulties with such as in-toeing, toe walking, valgus knees, excessive pronation of feet and spinal scoliosis. The underlying causes of these problems are extremely varied and require a thorough assessment by an experienced paediatric physiotherapist.  

Musculoskeletal and Joint Pain

Sometimes children will develop pains in their joints or back and for the majority of the time this is nothing to worry about.

However in some children these pains persist and at this point it is wise to consult a physiotherapist to assess and determine the cause of this pain.

If you have any questions about the conditions listed above and paediatric physiotherapy or would like to book an appointment then please get in touch. We are based in Lichfield and serve surrounding areas such as Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Rugeley, Cannock and Walsall. We can be contacted  on 0788 428 1623 or email us at enquiries@threespiresphysiotherapy.co.uk