Last updated 19/01/2023
What is Paediatric Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that promotes the health and wellbeing of all. Physiotherapists are responsible for the assessment and physical management of problems due to accident, injury, ageing, disease or disability. Paediatric physiotherapists have specialist skills as physiotherapists, along with additional expert knowledge and experience of child development and childhood disabilities.
Who do we see?
Children & young people accessing our service are subdivided into two main pathways:
- Long term conditions, physical disabilities and developmental problems (0-18 years, 19 in special schools)
- Musculoskeletal and Orthopaedic conditions (0-18 years)
What do we do?
Therapists provide evidence and experience based intervention options with clear pathways (Specialist intervention). They actively support self-management and empower children, young people and families to self-manage their own needs (Targeted intervention).
Each child/young person will be fully assessed by one of our Physiotherapists at their initial appointment and, together with the family, we will plan what to do next depending on the child/young person’s need and the outcome that is required.
Physiotherapy intervention may include:
- Provision of an exercise or physical/postural management program
- Individual or group session with physiotherapist or physiotherapy assistant
- Provision of specialist equipment (e.g. orthotics, mobility aids and postural management equipment)
- Review of child or young person's physiotherapy needs and program after an agreed period of time
- Training of parents/carers/school staff to carry out exercise or physical/postural management programs, and integrate them into the child or young person's daily routine where indicated
- Liaison with parents/teachers/learning support assistants/nurses and medical staff as appropriate
- Onwards referral to other services as indicated e.g. wheelchair service, podiatry, other therapy services (i.e. OT/SLT)
Where do we work?
The Ealing Paediatric Physiotherapy Team is based at Carmelita House and is part of the Ealing Services for Children with Additional Needs (ESCAN)
We are a predominantly clinic-based service, but some services are delivered in children's centres, special and mainstream schools, and patients own homes, depending on the child or young persons needs.
Who else do we work with?
We work as part of the Multidisciplinary ‘team around the child’ with our colleagues in Health, Education and Social Care. Your child may be known to one or more professionals depending on their needs.
Training offered:
We are happy to provide training on request. For example:
- To referrers regarding our service delivery, referral guidelines and criteria, and to disseminate universal information that may be relevant to their patients (e.g. advice on flat feet and in-toeing for GP's)
- To individual settings (schools, nurseries etc.) regarding postural management, integrating the principles of physical management, integrating the principles of physical management into the child/young person's day, and how to promote gross motor skill development through universal activities
- Specific conditions or elements of physiotherapy intervention
Referrals:
- We accept referrals for children/young people with an Ealing GP and that live in the Borough of Ealing or within one mile of the Borough boundary
- We accept referrals from GP's, Paediatricians, Consultants, other Health Care Professionals and School Teachers/SENCO's.
- Referrals are accepted by email to wlm-tr.ealingcommunity.referrals@nhs.net
For more information, visit Physiotherapy :: West London NHS Trust
