Our support includes mainly neurological neuromuscular conditions as well as long-term orthopaedic conditions and genetic syndromes. This would include providing specialist assessment and a range of interventions to support them to reach their maximal functional ability and enable participation. We also aim to reduce or even prevent secondary orthopaedic complications which can adversely impact on quality of life.
We work closely with the team around the children and young people’s family to deliver optimum support of the child’s physical needs while keeping their wellbeing central to our decision making. We see children and young people in a variety of settings: at home, in clinic, in nursery or school, in leisure centres and other places in the community. We get involved in blocks of treatment on a needs-led basis as the child grows and develops. Through our Care Aims Model we set patient focus goals that are reviewed regularly to ensure progress is being made.
Physiotherapy intervention follows the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Framework. This holistic approach ensures therapy focuses on factors that are important to individual children’s development – their participation, activities & environment, and the 6 F’s: Function, Family, Friends, Fitness, Fun and Future.
Intervention can include the following:
- Teaching families / carers / education staff about the CYP’s condition and providing programmes of activities required to either maintain or develop skills
- Implementation of specific therapy programmes
- Assessing and promoting 24 hour postural management care to include specialised equipment eg walkers, standing frames, sleep systems at home and at school
- Annual monitoring of physical status through CPIPS (Cerebral Palsy Integrated Pathway Scotland)
We work in partnership with Health, Education and Social Care, for example;
- Other healthcare professionals eg occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, paediatricians and orthotists
- Education staff, access officers and moving and handling advisors to ensure safe practice when working with children and young people
- Providing links to third sector organisations eg Fife Sport and Leisure Trust, race running clubs, disability sport and Riding for the Disabled association
- Assessing for and working with Wheelchair services
We also work closely with young people and their families in preparation for transition into adult life by establishing links with adult physiotherapy services as required.
