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Physiotherapy

Our physiotherapists help people with orthopaedic, neurological or genetic conditions to maintain or improve their movement, mobility, strength and fitness.

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Improve your child’s movement and participation in everyday activities, enhance their development and give them a good quality of life.

Physiotherapy for children, or Paediatric physiotherapy, is a specialised area of physiotherapy that addresses the different needs of babies, children and adolescents as they develop their movement skills. This involves therapies such as exercise, movement training, stretches, strengthening, motor learning and play.

Successful movement is essential for learning and growing and is as important to cognitive development as it is to physical.

Our physiotherapists have a Masters in Paediatric Physiotherapy, or many years of clinical experience or further study in the area.

Our team provide assessments and identify difficulties and diagnosis to tailor a therapy program for each child. It’s a very hands-on process, and we like to keep it fun and playful for your child.

To learn more about our physiotherapy services or to book an appointment contact your nearest Early Start Australia clinic.

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Our physiotherapists can help with the following:

  • Developing mobility skills, e.g. rolling, sitting, crawling and walking
  • Participating in activities like bike riding and swimming
  • Prescribing and using specialised equipment, e.g. seating, standing frames, walkers
  • Orthopaedic conditions, e.g. plagiocephaly, lower limb, patella-femoral mal-alignment, scoliosis or joint pain
  • Developmental delays
  • Coordination or balance
  • Neurological conditions, e.g. cerebral palsy, spina bifida, stroke and traumatic brain injury
  • Genetic conditions, e.g. Down syndrome and achondroplasia
  • Low muscle tone

What does physiotherapy involve?

Physiotherapy treatment for your child begins with an assessment where we look at their motor skills and overall development.

We identify your child’s ability strengths and weaknesses and then design a therapy plan that addresses their individual needs to ensure the best possible development of their physical and cognitive skills.

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Physiotherapy Programs

As part of your therapy journey your Physiotherapist may recommend some therapy programs to assist in achieving your goals including:

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Find a clinic near you

We have clinics in every state and territory providing assessments, early childhood intervention therapies, and support to help you thrive.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Physiotherapy services

AN ESA Paediatric Physiotherapist can help your child with movement, mobility and biomechanical development. Early intervention therapies can also help a child with neurological or developmental delays, as well as hearing and vision impairments.

 To address movement and motor development difficulties, physiotherapy can help your child:

  • improve muscle tone/strength/endurance
  • increase coordination and balance
  • develop core/trunk stability
  • improve body/joint mechanics or alignment
  • enhance communication abilities
  • Premature babies or low birth weight babies (<1500g)
  • Newborn babies with difficulty turning their heads
  • Newborn babies not tolerating tummy time
  • Babies having flat spots on the back or side of their heads, especially after seven weeks old
  • Babies who have difficulty with rolling, sitting, crawling and walking
  • Toddlers with pigeon toes, bow legs, in-rolling ankles, knock knees.
  • Children who have difficulties with coordination, balance, walking and running
  • Frequent falls, poor balance and coordination
  • Children with poor posture or children who complain of frequent muscular

Paediatric Physiotherapists are qualified health professionals who specialise in assessing, diagnosing, and treating a child’s movement skills, gross motor development, and neurological development. They can identify any issues and offer early-intervention therapy strategies. This often involves fun, developmentally appropriate, family-centred, and play-based techniques to help improve their movement and reach developmental milestones.

If you are a parent, no one knows your child as well as you do. If you have any concerns about their physical, behavioural or neurological development, you can seek the advice of a physiotherapist. Or maybe your GP, community nurse, child carer or teacher have concerns. Physiotherapy for your child can help treat issues with:

  • balance, posture, coordination and gross motor skills
  • joint, muscle or nervous system problems causing weakness, pain or movement difficulties
  • weight and physical activity advice
  • growth or sports injuries to the bones, joints, muscles and ligaments
  • recovery after surgery or illness to improve strength, movement, function and independence

It’s important to remember you don’t need a doctor’s referral to see a physiotherapist. Medicare does not cover physiotherapy, but some costs are often covered by ancillary private health insurance.

Your child may need the assistance of both a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist.

At ESA, they often work together as they each have specific areas of expertise. Occupational therapists focus on fine motor skills, which are the movements of the body’s small muscles, to improve the quality of children’s participation in their daily functional tasks. A physiotherapist focuses more on gross motor skills, which are movements using the body’s large muscles to help children with mobility difficulties, whether they are behind on their gross motor milestones, recovering from injury/surgery, or not keeping up with other children.

The Early Start Australia promise

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Holistic care and treatment plans

We’ll create a personalised care plan that suits your child’s individual requirements. This treatment plan will include a variety of therapies, lifestyle changes and training for parents

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Australia-wide reach

With clinics and therapists across the country, you’re guaranteed the help you need, when you need it.

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Registered NDIS provider

Access necessary support without any additional worries. Our early intervention services are covered within your NDIS plan however ADHD is generally not covered by NDIS funding.

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Early intervention at all stages

Our ADHD assessments and therapies for people of all ages and capabilities, including adults with ADHD. Join us today to achieve better results on your journey!

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