Discover the Power of Rehabilitation Assistants at PlayWorks Physio!

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Discover the Power of Rehabilitation Assistants at PlayWorks Physio!

At PlayWorks Physio, we take pride in offering comprehensive care to our young patients. In our pursuit of excellence, our dedicated Rehabilitation Assistants (RAs) play a pivotal role in ensuring that every child receives the highest quality of care.

The PlayWorks Experience

At PlayWorks Physio, we take pride in offering a holistic approach to pediatric physiotherapy. Our Rehabilitation Assistants contribute significantly to this approach in several ways:

  • 1:1 Personalized Care: Our RAs provide individualized, one-on-one sessions, guaranteeing that your child’s unique needs are met with precision and dedication.
  • Bringing Fun into Therapy: With creativity and enthusiasm, our RAs implement the physiotherapist’s plan in ways that actively engage children, ensuring that therapy is a delightful and enjoyable experience.
  • Flexible Scheduling: Busy family life is a reality. That’s why we offer flexible scheduling, making it easier to find a convenient therapy time.
  • Community Outreach: Recognizing that therapy doesn’t always necessitate a clinic visit, our RAs work with children in the familiar and comfortable environment of their own homes and communities.
  • Pool Therapy Expertise: For those who find aquatic therapy beneficial, our RAs play a pivotal role. They assist physiotherapists during pool therapy sessions, helping children build water confidence, strength, and work toward their physiotherapy goals.
  • Biking and Playground Skills: We go beyond traditional therapy by supporting children in acquiring vital life skills like biking and mastering the playground. This promotes independence and self-assurance.

How to Get Started

If you believe your child could benefit from the support of a Rehabilitation Assistant, and are already a patient, we encourage you to discuss this option with your physiotherapist. They will be able to guide you through the process and help you decide if working with an RA is the right choice for your child’s unique needs. If you are not a current patient, please book an Initial Assessment with one of our physiotherapists, prior to working with a Rehab Assistant.

Once you’ve decided to work with a Rehabilitation Assistant, we’ll be delighted to assist you in scheduling your sessions. Our team will ensure that you and your child have a personalized and rewarding experience during your time with PlayWorks Physio.

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What is Pool Therapy?

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Pool Therapy

Pool Therapy (also known as hydrotherapy or aquatic therapy) is physical rehabilitation that is performed in the water. It utilizes the concepts of buoyancy, turbulence, and increased resistance to movement that cannot be re-created on land. It is a popular treatment for a variety of neurological and musculoskeletal conditions. 

What are the benefits?

  • Facilitates muscle relaxation
  • Reduces joint stiffness and improves joint range of motion
  • Reduces swelling
  • Allows for progressive weight bearing on painful joints
  • Improves muscle strength and stability
  • Improves balance, motor planning, and coordination
  • Improves cardiovascular endurance
  • Facilitates recovery after injury or surgery
  • Promotes community participation, independence & social development

Why do kids come for pool therapy?

  • To improve their confidence in the water
  • As an alternative way to strengthen muscles
  • To practice weight bearing positions in the water (the lack of gravity reduces pressure on the joints)
  • Achieving a variety of physical goals while engaging in FUN games and activities!

What does a pool session look like?

Treatment takes place at a community pool with a physiotherapist. Sessions are packed with fun games and activities that are designed to improve muscle strength, balance, coordination, cardiovascular endurance, and more!

Are you interested in pool therapy? At PlayWorks Physio, we provide individualized, 1-on-1 pool therapy with a physiotherapist to meet your child’s needs and help them work towards their goals. 

For more information or if you would like to book an initial assessment, click here or send us an email at hello@playworksphysio.com. An initial assessment in-clinic is required prior to sessions in the pool.

 

Written by: Melanie Touhey, Interim Physiotherapist

 

 

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What is Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)?

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What is Developmental Coordination Disorder?

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a motor skill disorder that affects roughly 5-6% of school aged kids (5 years and up), with boys being affected at a 2:1 ratio to girls. DCD is commonly described as kids who show awkward, clumsy movements in their day to day.

Often parents or teachers will notice the child having a hard time keeping up with their peers, having difficulty doing tasks that involve one or more movements and/or are delayed in gross motor skills such as jumping, skipping and ball skills. Kiddos with DCD have difficulty planning out tasks, they know what they want to achieve, but they struggle to find the map to get there.  

Common tasks parents notice these children may find difficulty with are as follows:

  • Bike riding: some parents may notice that they can peddle on the bike once on, but they lack the planning to stop, and get off the bike smoothly. 
  • Skipping: arguably one of the most difficult tasks for kids to learn, they have a difficult time skipping as it takes coordination of the arms and legs at the same time.
  • Shuffling: these may be seen during activities such as team sports and warm ups, a difficult. 
  • Ball skills: kids may have difficulty catching and throwing balls with accuracy.

 

How can Paediatric Physiotherapists help with DCD?

We can help by giving REPETITIVE PRACTICE! As adults, we know we get better with practice, often these kids need blocked practice to improve a skill. We can help by identifying a specific goal, give them strategies on how to get there and work on each component of that skill. We give repetitive practice to allow these kids to build that road map from point A to point B. 

We can also perform a movement screening (The Movement ABC), to help determine if your child appears to have a coordination disorder. Book your assessment here.

Things that can help at home:

  • HEAVY PLAY! Fill up a toy shopping cart and push it, pulling a sibling on a bed sheet etc, these tasks help turn on muscles that are often limited. 
  • Give them a plan: If your kid forgets to put on their socks every time before they put on their boots- put a picture of a sock by their boots so they have a visual of what they need to do.
  • Encourage your little one to remain active, whether it’s individual sports, team sports or another activity they choose. These kids can often become discouraged if sports don’t look the same for them as they do for their peers, encourage them to stay active and have fun!

 

If you have any questions, or concerns that your child may have a coordination disorder, we can help! Click here to book your assessment.

Written By: Darrien Cantelo, Physiotherapist

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