Common Conditions treated with Children's Physiotherapy

What common conditions can be seen by the Children’s Physiotherapist?

Orthopaedic (Bones, joints and muscles)

Torticollis (or ‘Wry neck’ where the muscle called the sterno-mastoid muscle is tight and prevents head turning to the opposite side.)
Plagiocephaly (flattened head due to the position of the baby in the womb or due to holding the head to one side from having a torticollis)
Positional Talipes (the foot or feet are turned in and downwards due to the position in the womb during pregnancy)
Erb’s Palsy (Obstetric Brachial Plexus Lesion caused by damage to the main nerves that supply movement and sensation to the arm)
Hip dysplasia (the result of an abnormal development of the hip in relation to the femur (thigh bone) and the acetabulum, which is the cuplike socket that connects the femur and the pelvis.)
Pes Plano-Valgus (Pronated Flat Feet)
Variations in gait – (in-toeing, out-toeing or tiptoe walking)
Growing pains (often felt at night and due to rapid growth spurts throughout childhood and adolescence)
Hip and Knee pain (common in young people caused by inflammation of the bone, cartilage and/or tendon at the top of the shin bone)
Slipped upper femoral epiphyseal plate (SUFE) (the commonest hip disorder in adolescents causing hip and knee pain especially when walking, running and jumping.)
Back Pain in under 12 year old children (Generally due to poor posture, inactivity, overweight, rapid growth or carrying heavy school bags but may also be due to an undiagnosed urinary tract infection)
Scoliosis (An abnormal ‘S’ shape curvature of the spine can be ‘idiopathic’ – unknown cause or congenital – deformity from birth)
Joint Hypermobility (Bendy joints)
Poor core (postural) stability (affects balance and control of movement of the arms and legs away from the body)

Developmental Disorders

Delayed or disordered development of body postures and large movements (Gross Motor skills) such as rolling, crawling, sitting, standing and walking and their association with all aspects of child development (hearing, speech, social skills, vision, fine movements and play.)
Benign congenital hypotonia (harmless case of low muscle tone causing general weakness and floppiness of muscles.)
Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (Commonly known as Dyspraxia or clumsy child syndrome)
Undiagnosed co-ordination difficulties