Paediatric Physical Therapy

At ABLE UK our physiotherapists support children who are born with or develop musculoskeletal or neurological conditions, physical therapy can help them attain their muscle strength and endurance. Physical therapy helps children to improve or achieve gross motor skills, improves balance and coordination.

The therapy also helps strengthen muscles and joints, reinforcing a child’s stability and positioning. Use of assistive devices, orthotics, mobility devices, variety of walkers, rollator, variety of splints , Wheelchair evaluation and prescription. Wheelchair training and teaching transfers.

Paediatric physical therapy may be required in certain conditions:

• Cerebral Palsy,
• Development delay,
• Down syndrome,
• Muscular dystrophies,
• Any other neurological, musculoskeletal, genetic or metabolic conditions affecting child’s developmental milestones.

Physical therapy helps to improve physical impairments by training and strengthening of child’s large muscles – those in the arms, legs, and abdomen. The goal of physical therapy is to maximize functional control of the body, or increase gross motor function.

Trained physical therapists identify mobility issues and determine the unique physical abilities and limitations of children, taking into account their age and cognitive functioning.

The therapist develops a course of treatment that includes exercises, stretches, and possibly assistive and adaptive equipment designed to achieve mobility.

The goal of physical therapy is to help individuals:

• develop coordination,
• build strength,
• improve balance,
• maintain flexibility,
• optimize physical functioning levels,
• maximize independence.

At ABLE UK we use the Cuevas Medek Exercises which is a psychomotor therapy based on dynamic challenging exercises, manually applied for children affected on their developmental motor functions. This therapy provides very concrete guidelines to stimulate babies in a total safe way, starting from two months of age to many years after birth.