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paediatric physiotherapy
One of the most exciting aspects of treating children is that, for the most part, they demonstrate simple functional and dysfunctional patterns that haven’t yet been complicated by layers and layers of the history that we develop as we get older. This history could be medical, traumatic, emotional, or nutritive, amongst others. The absence of history in children makes things simpler.
There are, of course, more complicated presentations in younger patients and these require some degree of care and skill and take time for the younger patient’s body to deal with. For example, see speech patterns, below.
Understanding the child helps to understand the adult.
Often the therapist will work in conjunction with other health professionals and it helps to have good network of support. For example: paediatricians; speech therapists; gastroenterologists; and allergists.
Craniosacral Therapy for children
Prior to reading this section, it may help to visit the Craniosacral Therapy page for some background information.
Craniosacral therapy for the treatment of infants, toddlers, children and adolescents is particularly relevant. The amount of growth and development occurring at these ages is extraordinary. The cranial bones are dynamic structures and have not yet fused together. The bones of the cranium are not yet completely ossified (hardened) and are still malleable.
Often at this juncture, while the body is still growing, dysfunction of the cranial structures can have profound effects. Likewise, correction of any anomalies can be just as profound and extremely important for life. If the foundations are not right, anything that is built upon them will have to compensate if the body is to ‘survive’ in some cases, let alone thrive.
It is not only the bones that need attention but all associated structures like the joints and fascia. Fascial restrictions alone have a much wider implication for the rest of the body and its functions. So often the practitioner will not just treat the skull, but all parts of the body where restrictions may arise.
Craniosacral therapy (or manual therapy in general) works well when treating younger patients because they tend to respond rapidly. Of course, it depends on the type of problem, but this is true for the most part.
Motor development
Physiotherapists are trained in assessing and managing movement difficulties or motor delays in babies and children.
Motor development refers to acquisition of skills like rolling, sitting, crawling and walking. It may seem obvious to say, but these skills should blossom early in life and often obtaining one skill leads to the development of another.
For example, in order to have good dexterity, neat writing or what are called fine motor skills for the hand, it is generally necessary to have good proximal control so that a solid base is established for the more distal actions. In this case it means good shoulder control, good scapula stability and good neck and upper back posture, strength, endurance and control.
Or, in order for your hips bones and socket to develop properly and have nicely functioning gluteal muscles, it is advantageous to acquire good side sit to all-fours posture (kneeling on hands and knees) and go on to crawl.
Screening for these kinds of issues, particularly within the first few years can often help to prevent chronic, recurring pain syndromes in adults.
Visceral Therapy for Paediatrics
Prior to reading this section, it may help to visit the Visceral Therapy page for some background information.
Despite the ‘presenting problem’, the process will usually begin by identifying where your child is holding the greatest restriction or tension in his or her body at the time of assessment. Interestingly, this may or may not relate to the presenting problem! Sometimes the body can adapt to the local dysfunction quite well but develops secondary tension elsewhere, for example.
Specific attention is then given to areas of tension in order to see how they relate to, and affect the whole body.
Restrictions in your child’s body are usually caused by an inflammatory process that was the result of infection, birth trauma, mal-positioning in-utero, bumps and falls, abnormal activity within the nervous system, medications or toxicity to name a few.
Treatment of these restrictions is usually quick and very gentle. The child’s connecting and support tissue in which the restriction resides, responds rapidly when it is taken off tension and the corresponding organs are allowed to readjust. The body has a great tendency towards healing and will take this opportunity if present, especially when the tissue hasn’t had years of stress.
Let’s talk about a few common problems seen in children such as colic/reflux and digestive issues …
Sometimes with reflux, tension is identified in the upper stomach area. Perhaps the mobility of the stomach and the oesophagus in relation to the diaphragm is impaired. Maybe the stomach doesn’t move so well in relation to its neighbour, the liver? Or maybe the oesophagus has some restrictions higher up in relation to the lungs, which then pulls on the stomach?
So, you might be able to see how several different kinds of restrictions may affect the stomach? This in turn may lead to malabsorption issues or lack of hydrochloric acid production in the stomach which prevents the breakdown of food and promotes bacterial growth. You may also expect that the tension on the muscle sphincter between the stomach and oesophagus that prevents food from regurgitating may deviate from its effectiveness and lead to colic or reflux?
Allergies
The cause of allergies, intolerances and reactions to food or products can be multi-factorial. Usually the child’s body becomes so hypersensitive that it reacts to things that normally we’d be able to tolerate. The real issues relate to the cause of the hypersensitivity. What has caused the child’s system to struggle so much that it can’t tolerate a seemingly normal load or substance?
The causes can be acquired (like a physical trauma or a bacterial infection) or they may have developed in-utero. They may be physically based or they may be emotionally based. They may have a genetic component.
It may help to determine the cause of the hypersensitivity or it may not? It may be enough that therapy helps the child to move through a difficult period, lesion or dysfunction and the child’s body will take care of the rest?
There are many ways to assess the causes and there are different ways to treat. One thing is for certain: these children more and more walk through our doors.
An example of a physical cause may pan out as follows …
Say your child has skin reactions, like dry skin, itchiness or eczema. What if the child’s body tension has it’s fulcrum at the liver area. What if there were restrictions in the duodenum (first part of the small intestine in which the liver and pancreas dump enzymes, hormones and other chemicals) or the tube between the liver and the duodenum called the common bile duct? If there was a backflow of fluid (like bile) into the liver and it became congested, or the liver wasn’t able to deliver enzymes and salts to breakdown fats and proteins, these substances may not be absorbed. Fats are essential for healthy looking and functioning skin.
There are many causes of liver dysfunction, but many of them will lead to rising toxicity levels in the body because the liver can’t help remove them. The toxins have to go somewhere and they are commonly expelled through the skin.
This is a snapshot of allergies and intolerances, but hopefully it gives you some idea?
What kind of paediatric issues may be commonly seen?
There are, of course, more complicated presentations in younger patients and these require some degree of care and skill and take time for the younger patient’s body to deal with. For example, see speech patterns, below.
Understanding the child helps to understand the adult.
Often the therapist will work in conjunction with other health professionals and it helps to have good network of support. For example: paediatricians; speech therapists; gastroenterologists; and allergists.
Craniosacral Therapy for children
Prior to reading this section, it may help to visit the Craniosacral Therapy page for some background information.
Craniosacral therapy for the treatment of infants, toddlers, children and adolescents is particularly relevant. The amount of growth and development occurring at these ages is extraordinary. The cranial bones are dynamic structures and have not yet fused together. The bones of the cranium are not yet completely ossified (hardened) and are still malleable.
Often at this juncture, while the body is still growing, dysfunction of the cranial structures can have profound effects. Likewise, correction of any anomalies can be just as profound and extremely important for life. If the foundations are not right, anything that is built upon them will have to compensate if the body is to ‘survive’ in some cases, let alone thrive.
It is not only the bones that need attention but all associated structures like the joints and fascia. Fascial restrictions alone have a much wider implication for the rest of the body and its functions. So often the practitioner will not just treat the skull, but all parts of the body where restrictions may arise.
Craniosacral therapy (or manual therapy in general) works well when treating younger patients because they tend to respond rapidly. Of course, it depends on the type of problem, but this is true for the most part.
Motor development
Physiotherapists are trained in assessing and managing movement difficulties or motor delays in babies and children.
Motor development refers to acquisition of skills like rolling, sitting, crawling and walking. It may seem obvious to say, but these skills should blossom early in life and often obtaining one skill leads to the development of another.
For example, in order to have good dexterity, neat writing or what are called fine motor skills for the hand, it is generally necessary to have good proximal control so that a solid base is established for the more distal actions. In this case it means good shoulder control, good scapula stability and good neck and upper back posture, strength, endurance and control.
Or, in order for your hips bones and socket to develop properly and have nicely functioning gluteal muscles, it is advantageous to acquire good side sit to all-fours posture (kneeling on hands and knees) and go on to crawl.
Screening for these kinds of issues, particularly within the first few years can often help to prevent chronic, recurring pain syndromes in adults.
Visceral Therapy for Paediatrics
Prior to reading this section, it may help to visit the Visceral Therapy page for some background information.
Despite the ‘presenting problem’, the process will usually begin by identifying where your child is holding the greatest restriction or tension in his or her body at the time of assessment. Interestingly, this may or may not relate to the presenting problem! Sometimes the body can adapt to the local dysfunction quite well but develops secondary tension elsewhere, for example.
Specific attention is then given to areas of tension in order to see how they relate to, and affect the whole body.
Restrictions in your child’s body are usually caused by an inflammatory process that was the result of infection, birth trauma, mal-positioning in-utero, bumps and falls, abnormal activity within the nervous system, medications or toxicity to name a few.
Treatment of these restrictions is usually quick and very gentle. The child’s connecting and support tissue in which the restriction resides, responds rapidly when it is taken off tension and the corresponding organs are allowed to readjust. The body has a great tendency towards healing and will take this opportunity if present, especially when the tissue hasn’t had years of stress.
Let’s talk about a few common problems seen in children such as colic/reflux and digestive issues …
Sometimes with reflux, tension is identified in the upper stomach area. Perhaps the mobility of the stomach and the oesophagus in relation to the diaphragm is impaired. Maybe the stomach doesn’t move so well in relation to its neighbour, the liver? Or maybe the oesophagus has some restrictions higher up in relation to the lungs, which then pulls on the stomach?
So, you might be able to see how several different kinds of restrictions may affect the stomach? This in turn may lead to malabsorption issues or lack of hydrochloric acid production in the stomach which prevents the breakdown of food and promotes bacterial growth. You may also expect that the tension on the muscle sphincter between the stomach and oesophagus that prevents food from regurgitating may deviate from its effectiveness and lead to colic or reflux?
Allergies
The cause of allergies, intolerances and reactions to food or products can be multi-factorial. Usually the child’s body becomes so hypersensitive that it reacts to things that normally we’d be able to tolerate. The real issues relate to the cause of the hypersensitivity. What has caused the child’s system to struggle so much that it can’t tolerate a seemingly normal load or substance?
The causes can be acquired (like a physical trauma or a bacterial infection) or they may have developed in-utero. They may be physically based or they may be emotionally based. They may have a genetic component.
It may help to determine the cause of the hypersensitivity or it may not? It may be enough that therapy helps the child to move through a difficult period, lesion or dysfunction and the child’s body will take care of the rest?
There are many ways to assess the causes and there are different ways to treat. One thing is for certain: these children more and more walk through our doors.
An example of a physical cause may pan out as follows …
Say your child has skin reactions, like dry skin, itchiness or eczema. What if the child’s body tension has it’s fulcrum at the liver area. What if there were restrictions in the duodenum (first part of the small intestine in which the liver and pancreas dump enzymes, hormones and other chemicals) or the tube between the liver and the duodenum called the common bile duct? If there was a backflow of fluid (like bile) into the liver and it became congested, or the liver wasn’t able to deliver enzymes and salts to breakdown fats and proteins, these substances may not be absorbed. Fats are essential for healthy looking and functioning skin.
There are many causes of liver dysfunction, but many of them will lead to rising toxicity levels in the body because the liver can’t help remove them. The toxins have to go somewhere and they are commonly expelled through the skin.
This is a snapshot of allergies and intolerances, but hopefully it gives you some idea?
What kind of paediatric issues may be commonly seen?
- Colic
- Reflux
- Digestive and elimination issues
- Sucking problems
- Projectile vomiting
- Torticollis
- Movement difficulties
- Emotional issues
- Behavioural issues
- Spinal alignment problems
- Plagiocephally (distorted head shape from ventuse or forceps delivery; the birthing process; overuse of a sleeping position; vertebro-cranial relationships)
- Sensory integration problems
- Hyperactivity
- Problems arising from maternal illness or toxicity
- Allergies
- Constipation
- Autism
- Asperger’s syndrome
- Speech issues
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