Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy (physio) promotes the health and wellbeing of all. Physiotherapists help people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education, and advice.

Paediatric (children’s) physiotherapy is the treatment and care of babies, children, and young people from birth to 19 years.

Children's physiotherapists have a good understanding of:

child development
childhood diseases and conditions that may impact on development and wellbeing
therapeutic interventions that enable and optimise development and wellbeing
the need to put the child at the centre of planning
the impact that having a sick or disabled child has on family life
how to keep children safe
how to ensure that children and young people make choices.

Intervention is based on assessing the child’s needs and creating an individual treatment programme.

Who Physiotherapy can help

Children's physiotherapists treat babies, children and young people with a wide range of conditions. Some are similar to those seen in adults and some are specific to children e.g. fractures; sports injuries; neurological conditions (e.g. cerebral palsy, head injury, spinal cord injury); Orthopaedic conditions (e.g. Talipes, Torticollis, Plagiocephaly)

Our physiotherapy team supports children and young people with a wide range of neuro-developmental and motor difficulties.

How to get referred to our services

Your child’s school or nursery, GP, or health visitor can refer you to the service on the referral form. Once your child's referral is accepted, you should be seen within 18 weeks.

The reason for referral must relate to a neurodevelopmental or motor difficulty. For example, delayed gross motor development, concerns about muscle tone (low tone or high tone (stiffness) in babies/young children affecting development, and diagnosed conditions e.g. Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy.

Other referrals

Referrals for musculoskeletal or orthopaedic concerns, e.g. pain, joint injury, hypermobility, talipes, torticollis, etc are seen by the Physiotherapy service at Whipps Cross Hospital. Your GP can refer you to that service.

Referrals for concerns regarding foot posture in mobile children, which are not normal variants (flat feet is common up to age four) will be directed to the Podiatry service.

Orthotics

Sometimes children’s physical needs can be addressed with splints or supports in their footwear to help with their foot, knee, and hip positioning.

In such cases, we also offer an Orthotic clinic for assessment of need for orthotic equipment e.g. foot splints. The clinic runs at Wood Street and children are seen for provision of orthotics and reviews, every six months to a year.