Did you know

that physiotherapists play an important role in the safe and healthy participation of children in sport? Physiotherapists understand the differences between children and adults and can help parents and trainers organise age-appropriate participation. They are able to assess children’s physical and motor development and identify whether a sport is right for their age and experience. Physiotherapists are particularly skilled at identifying the signs of overtraining and can advise how to ensure that children are not put at risk. Some musculoskeletal problems may not be picked up until children are involved in organised sport as this puts them in different situations and allows direct comparison with the skills of their team mates. A screening by a physiotherapist is useful for children involved in sport to identify issues like age-appropriate skills, muscle imbalances that may occur due to rapid growth, or biomechanical predisposition to injury, and to outline a preventive program with strategies to avert injury. If your child plays organised sport it may be worth asking whether the club has organised a physio to perform an assessment of the team.

Did you know…

that physiotherapists can help children manage their asthma? Physiotherapists are aware of the medication delivery devices suitable for children and are able to educate you and/or your child about how to manage inhaler properly. Your physio will also be able to help you manage the exercise-induced asthma that frightens children and often leads to their shying away from exercise and participation in sport.

Did you know…

that the APA does not recommend the use of baby walkers for infants and young children? Many parents believe that putting children in a walker will assist their physical development, but there is no research evidence for this. In fact baby walkers should be avoided because they are not safe and do not allow for the developmental activities necessary for an infant to achieve independent walking. Baby walkers can cause falls as children scoot along, and allow children easy and rapid access to dangerous places and objects. The APA recommends that to encourage normal development, parents should allow children time on the floor to practise rolling, crawling, sitting, and pulling up to stand which are important pre-walking skills.

The APA also recommends consulting a paediatric physiotherapist (who is experienced in the management of infants and children) if there are concerns regarding a child’s development or for a child with a physical disability. Paediatric physiotherapists are experts in assessing children and providing treatment strategies to optimise physical development. In specific cases where a baby walker is recommended, principles of safe practice must be followed. Physiotherapists can provide specific advice on the use of baby walkers and other equipment.