Paediatric Services
For your little one
Our paediatric physiotherapy services include treatment of constipation, bed wetting and wee or poo leaks, as well as baby massage and the treatment of babies struggling with colic
Physiotherapy has been shown to benefit children of all ages who may be struggling with pain and dysfunction unique to their stage of development. Techniques involved in this treatment include hands on therapy, education and exercises. The most common areas we treat in children include:
Constipation is the primary cause of bed wetting and wee or poo leaks in children.
Roughly 20% of children are constipated, with the cause being multifactorial and not entirely understood.
Physiotherapy aims to provide a holistic approach to treating constipation. The treatment includes education, lifestyle and dietary changes, and pelvic floor and core retraining.
Colic is a condition in babies characterised by sudden and continuous crying or fussing, usually after feeding. It is described as when a baby who is not sick or hungry cries for more than 3 hours a day, for 3 days a week, for more than 3 weeks. Their cry can be loud and on-going, with teary spells in between. It is different to a cry of discomfort, and these episodes usually involve a red face, distended belly, and alternating bending and straightening the legs.
There are many schools of thought as to what actually causes colic. Aggravating factors include over feeding your baby in an attempt to stop the crying, excessive sugar in your little one’s diet, and certain food allergies.
Your emotional wellbeing has an influence on your baby’s comfort too, so any anxiety you experience, may exacerbate their discomfort. Colic has a large influence on your experience as a mom, influencing your initial bonding with your little one. Please don’t feel as though you have to face this alone, there is help you can get.
Physiotherapy treatment includes gentle soft tissue, spinal and neural tissue mobilisations. These sessions include hands-on treatment of your baby, as well as education and advice for the caregivers.
Baby massage has a variety of benefits as touch is the sense that is developed the most at birth. It is thought to stimulate the circulatory and digestive systems, thereby providing relief from cramps, colic and constipation. Baby massage is also a nice bonding moment for the baby and caregiver and helps the baby to feel relaxed, secure and to thrive.
