Our clinic offers specialized physiotherapy for children.
The problems which Children face in their bones, muscles, and spine are quite different from those in adults. Our therapists are highly skilled and specially trained in dealing with children and their problems. The physiotherapists at our clinic are specially trained in the following fields;
At the Children’s Orthopaedic and Spine clinic, we have dedicated programmes to treat Scoliosis in Children and Adolescents. We have specially trained paediatric physiotherapists who run exercise programs called Schroth therapy.
Schroth therapy is a program that was initially developed in Germany by Katarina Schroth. This program has spread mainly in Europe and North America, and is slowly gaining recognition as a system of exercises which helps to control Scoliosis and even improve it. Recent high-class studies from the USA have shown effectiveness of Schroth therapy and bracing in children and adolescents. Since 2019, our clinic has starting offering this exercise system to our patients with Scoliosis.
Schroth therapy is a system of exercises which involve postural awareness and its adjustment, exercises that specifically target muscles to address the imbalance of the trunk, and breathing techniques to facilitate thoracic expansion (expansion of the rib cage) to facilitate a better alignment.
When our patients regularly carry out exercises as per the program given to them, and are meticulous in wearing the brace supplied, we have observed very good effects on the abnormal curvature. In almost all cases, curves have not worsened or have actually improved. In some children, the improvement has been significant enough to obviate the need for surgery.
Congenital muscular torticollis is a condition in which an infant develops a tightness in one of the major neck muscles. This tightness forces the head to be maintained rotated in one direction and does not allow the child to turn their face completely to the opposite side.
We offer early intervention for this condition.
We assess the child to confirm the diagnosis – and make sure that the wry neck is not caused by a problem with vision, or abnormal bone development, or infection in the neck.
We then determine the severity of the condition, and then set up therapy sessions to help reduce and resolve the condition.
When children come to us early – in the first 4 months of life, we are able to achieve excellent results in most patients.
When the condition is left untreated or treated late, the repercussions are serious. Children develop bony deformity of the neck, may develop a problem with their vision, and almost always develop a deformation of the face that cannot be reversed.
So it is very important to complete all treatment in the first 12 to 15 months of life in order to avoid serious consequences of this condition.
This is a specialized form of physical therapy for children suffering from developmental delays (delayed milestones) or inability to sit, stand, walk, or perform activities of daily living in a timely manner. By timely manner, we mean activities that develop with various stages of growth ( for example – children learn to walk between ages 12 months and 18 months). A child who cannot stand by age 18 months has a delayed milestone.
Our NDT specialists work on the ‘feeling’ of movement, training the brain to control the muscles, through a system of sensory feedback. Our specialists offer training programs which are tailored to varying needs of children. They use functional play and activity therapies which makes it enjoyable for the child to participate.
In cerebral palsy kids, the brain needs to re-learn the activities of daily living. Neuro-developmental therapy (NDT) helps these children with posture control, posture re-learning, rising to stand, ability to walk. The therapy also helps in avoiding abnormal movement patterns.
The therapy is especially important in the first 5 years of life, and is continued till the child is 8 to 10 years of age. Maximum brain learning happens in the 1st 3 years of life, so the importance of early therapy cannot be over-emphasized.
For us, every child needs to reach his or her maximum possible level of functional activity so that their participation in their environment is maximized. We strive to work hard to achieve the best possible quality of life for the children who come to us for therapy.
In children who have cerebral palsy, autism, and many other neurological disorders, the sensory system is altered.
The common signs of a sensory problem is:
Sensory integration helps children improve their sensory system, helps the brain to understand and improve the sensations (sensory input) from the environment. The sensations can be sound, light, touch, feel, sensations that help balance and position of the body.
Spina bifida occulta does not need any treatment.
Severe Spina bifida can be associated with a meningo-myelocoele. In these situations, a neurological deficit may occur. The deficit can cause a small degree of weakness of the leg, or can be more severe with significant involvement of both lower limbs and loss of control of urine and stools.
Therapy for Spina Bifida involves:
There is a close coordination between the paediatrician, child physiotherapists, orthopaedic surgeons, urologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychologists and orthotists in order to achieve a good result in these children.
This condition develops due to a difficult childbirth – the baby gets stuck in the birth canal and has to be pulled. This causes injury to the nerves in the neck region. These nerves supply sensations and movements to the upper limb.
When damage occurs, the arm on the affected side develops weakness, and problems in sensations. In most babies, there is variable recovery of the weakness. Function gradually returns. In some, the injury is severe, and the arm is left with weakness, difficulty in moving the arm or the hand, deformity and a significant loss of function.
Physiotherapy is essential to help with the recovery of this condition.
Our children’s physiotherapists start by making a full assessment. The evaluation includes assessing which muscle groups are affected, and the power in individual muscles. Sensory evaluation is made, and scoring of the injury is carried out. Scoring helps to develop an idea on how much recovery would occur, as well as the type of interventions to carry out.
The treatments which the therapists at the Children’s Orthopaedic and Spine clinic offer are;
The therapists have an all-important role is regular monitoring of the patients and suggest interventions like Botox injections, surgery or other interventions.
The goal is to obtain maximum function possible, and allow the child to live a happy and functional life with minimum or no disability.
Limb lengthening in Children and Adults involves application of External Lengthening devices (Called an external fixator) and internal nails and plates. The bone is divided by a procedure called an Osteotomy, and then gradually lengthened to the target length. During the course of lengthening, the soft tissues also undergo a process of lengthening, just like the bone does. However, the patient and the therapist experience a few challenges.
Initially, there is pain of surgery. This causes inhibition of muscles such that these function in a feeble manner. The joints become stiff. The body does not allow the patient to take any weight on the operated limb.
The goals of therapy are :
The muscles need to regain full strength. The therapist gently encourages strengthening of muscles so till muscles come back to normal strength.
This is often the most difficult part. Patients are taught to actively contract the muscles in order to move the joints. It is important to regain at least 70% joint movements by the end of lengthening and then 100 % movements in the 8 weeks after fixator removal.
Weight bearing to tolerance is encouraged. Usually, patients use walkers and crutches to walk around and perform their daily tasks. The therapists train the patient to walk, negotiate obstacles and tight spaces, and to climb stairs.
Our specially trained therapists guide and help the patient through the process of limb lengthening and are indispensable in achieving excellent results of limb lengthening at our clinic.