Treatment & Therapies for Little Champions

Physiotherapists give manual therapy to affected muscles using their hands, but also teach physical exercises that stretch and strengthen muscles. Physiotherapists also offer advice on using and caring for aids and orthoses, such as special arm and leg braces that help to stretch muscles.

Your child should have access to physiotherapy through their healthcare team or through their school. Alternatively, you can find a chartered physiotherapist near you by using the search function on the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy website: csp.org.uk/public-patient/find-physiotherapist

Weightlessness in the water enables people to enjoy a range of motion that they may struggle with on land. Movement in the water can improve balance and postural control and increase core strength. The warmth of the water can also help to ease muscles and reduce pain.

Hydrotherapy pools are available on the NHS and most hospitals have access to hydrotherapy pools. Any member of your child’s healthcare team can refer you to an NHS physiotherapist for hydrotherapy.

You can find a chartered physiotherapist specialising in hydrotherapy by using the search function on the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy website: csp.org.uk/public-patient/find-physiotherapist/physio2u

Occupational therapists can also advise on better ways to carry out self-care tasks such as eating, brushing teeth or getting dressed. At school or in the community, they can advise on sitting at desks, using private or public transport and computers. They can also help your Little Champion to access their interests, hobbies and activities.

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists website provides useful information on finding an Occupational Therapist and has an online directory: rcotss-ip.org.uk/find

A trained speech and language therapist can help a child to overcome:

• coordinating and controlling speech muscles
• difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• drooling
• reduced ability or an inability to form sounds and words
• difficulty with speech and comprehension
• the effects of a hearing impairment

The treatment your Little Champion will receive will depend on their specific needs as they grow and develop.

Conductive Education is based on the concept that everyone has the potential to learn and develop irrespective of their starting point. It approaches the rehabilitation of people with motor disabilities from an educational perspective rather than a medical perspective, focusing on the link between the mind and body and the importance of developing the motivation and confidence to achieve physical goals.

Conductive Education is available through NICE, a UK registered charity dedicated to providing services and training in the field of Conductive Education: conductive-education.org.uk

Orthopaedic surgery is used to correct conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system (bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves). Because of the risks associated with surgery and because its benefits may only be temporary, courses of physiotherapy and medication are usually recommended first. Surgery may be able to realign fixed joints and tendons; prevent contractures (permanently tightened muscles); correct hip dislocation and treat scoliosis (spinal curvature).

If you have concerns about your child’s musculoskeletal system, speak to your child’s paediatrician or orthopaedic team.

SDR involves surgery to cut carefully selected sensory nerves inside the spine of the lower back to ease muscle stiffness, performed under general anaesthetic. Following surgery regular physiotherapy is necessary to obtain the best results from SDR. Like all surgery, SDR carries specific risks and your child’s treatment team will be best placed to advise whether SDR is right for your child.

Find out more about these treatments in our guide to cerebral palsy here