Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral?
We do not need a referral to provide physiotherapy assessment and treatment for your child. We accept referrals from GP’s, Consultants, Health Visitors, Midwives, School and Nursery staff. If you wish to reclaim your fees from a health insurance company, you may require a referral to physiotherapy from your GP. Please check with your health insurance company.
Does my child need to see a Paediatric Physiotherapist?
- Are you worried about your child’s development?
- Is your child unable to participate in their normal activities because of pain?
- Does your child have a condition which is affecting their development?
- Does your child have knee or heel pain?
- Does your child have a sports-related injury?
- Are you concerned that your child is not reaching their developmental milestones?
- Is your child experiencing growing pains?
- Are you worried about how your child walks?
- Are you worried about your child’s posture?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then your child would benefit from physiotherapy assessment and treatment provided by a Specialist at Chiltern Children’s Physiotherapy.
Why does my child need to specifically see a Children’s Physiotherapist?
Treating children is not the same as treating adults. Children are growing, developing, and learning new skills. It is important that the physiotherapist understands child development, and the neurological, physiological and biomechanical differences between children and adults. Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapists are trained and experienced in providing physiotherapy intervention to children.
Neurological and Developmental Conditions
Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapists understand brain and childhood development and are able to apply this knowledge to the children that they assess and treat. Injury to a growing and developing brain is not the same as injury to a mature adult brain where movement skills have already been learnt and refined.
Development Delay may occur for a number of reasons, it may be related to a specific condition or syndrome; but may be of unknown cause. Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapists have an in depth knowledge of child development and will assess the child’s functional abilities and identify the skills that the child is lacking and preventing them from reaching the next stage of their development.
Musculoskeletal and Growth-related conditions
Children are not simply ‘small adults’, their musculo-skeletal system continues to grow and develop in most up to 18 years of age, for some it is even longer! There are growth plates that are active in all bones during the growing years. The growth plates in bones are active at different times of children’s development, making them susceptible to different growth-related conditions and sports related injuries at various stages of childhood. It is essential that your child is assessed and treated by a Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist who understands this and the implications for treatment and management of the child’s condition.
Sports, Musculo-skeletal and traumatic injuries in a child are managed differently to similar injuries in an adult due to different healing times, mechanical forces, and the growing skeleton.
What our clients say:
Caroline, thank you for your warm and caring approach, we look forward to continuing to work with you
We would be happy to discuss the concerns that you have for your child and how we can help.
