Pediatric Physiotherapy
What do Pediatric Physiotherapists do?
Pediatric physiotherapy, like adult physiotherapy, involves looking at many different components of movement to help improve quality of life, comfort, and strength. Whatever the age, the aim is for the baby or child to stay active, play, and participle in everyday life! To reach this precious goal, a complete assessment of the situation and history is done by the pediatric physiotherapist and treatment options include:
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Gentle and safe stretches with babies and children.
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Simple protocol to safely return to exercise and sports after an injury or pain episode.
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Supporting the body to adapt to growth.
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Modifying certain activities according to physiological differences.
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Modifying training to enable safe participation.
Valentina Tura, our physiotherapist use a variety of treatment techniques including but not limited to: massage and tissue mobilization, stretching, posture assessment, trigger point release, osteopathy treatment techniques, and manual therapy.
What issues can our therapist address?
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Neonatal and Pediatric Issues
Gentle manual therapy techniques are used on babies (from 15 days onward and children to treat hiccups, latching issues, tongue tie, torticollis, birth injury (e.g. shoulder dystocia, Erb's palsy), flat head syndrome, sleeping disturbances, constipation, cranial deformities, and acid reflux. Our therapist can also treat congenital differences such as flat feet (pes planus), knock knee (genu valgus), bow legged (genu varum), pigeon toed (in toeing) or duck feet (out toeing).
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Structural Issues
Structural issues are addressed with manual therapy treatment using osteopathy techniques. The adjustments can be done on all parts of the body including pelvis, spine, hips, neck, legs, and arms.
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Digestive Issues
Visceral manual therapy can help with irritable bowel syndrome, hiatus hernia, acid reflux, etc. Visceral therapy targets the mobility, blood flow, and connective tissues surrounding organs. Our organs are connected through the connective tissues. Issues with mobility of our organs can lead to restrictions elsewhere in the body and unpleasant digestive symptoms. Visceral manipulation of ligament, fascia, and muscle release strains, tensions, and restore function of the organs.
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Breathing Disorders
Patients suffering from asthma, COPD, emphysema, post-covid, and bronchitis can benefit from visceral therapy. Personalized treatment can assist in restoring rib cage and diaphragm movement to improve breathing pattern and capacity.
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Scar Issues
Whether a scar is post operative (e.g. c-section, breast surgery, abdominal surgery, knee surgery) or post trauma (i.e. following an injury) adhesions, pain and imbalance of the surrounded tissues can occur. These scars can even impact posture, movement, and create other issues. Treatment of scars includes mobilization of the tissues, decreasing signals to the nervous system, and increase blood flow to the area.
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Pain (acute and chronic)
Long term pain pattern are common but not normal. Pain can reduce quality of life, affect mental health, and even change freedom in mobility. Therapy includes identifying the root cause of the issue, targeted in session manual therapy, as well as daily habit modification and exercises to restore health.
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TMJ Disorders
TMJ disorders can cause headaches, jaw tension, pain, grinding, clenching, and chewing issues. Therapy is used to reduce pain and tensions as well as restore function of the jaw articulation.
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Headaches and Migraine
Neurological issues and postural or stress related tension are extremely common. Manual techniques acting on the musculoskeletal and neurological systems release pressure and rebalance functions.
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Osteopathic Manual Therapy
Considers the body as a whole as opposed to isolated parts and issue. The goal of treatment is to maintain a holistic approach to support healing, repair, and optimal body functions. The ultimate goal is to achieve natural alignment and balance of the body and mind.
