Children with conditions affecting the brain and spinal cord can present with a variety of symptoms which may include muscle stiffness, weakness, tremor and problems with sensation. These symptoms can often affect movement, balance, coordination and lead to problems with everyday activities such as walking, getting dressed, feeding and a child’s ability to play or develop. In such cases, the Neurosurgery Physiotherapy Team provides specialist assessment, treatment, management and advice with an overall aim of improving the child’s quality of life
Meet the Neurosurgery Physiotherapy Team
- Andrea Lane
- Muireann Dee
- Laura O’Kelly
- Hazel Fleming
What do we do?
Assessment: Your child may be assessed in intensive care, on the ward or in the Physiotherapy department. An assessment can sometimes take a few days as we are looking at your child’s posture, how they move, their range of movement, strength, sensation, muscle tone, coordination, balance, endurance and their functional ability in rolling, sitting, walking and other areas depending on their age. Once the Physiotherapist has assessed your child, they will discuss their findings with you and feedback to other members of the team involved in your child’s care as appropriate.
Treatment:
The treatment recommended by your Physiotherapist will be based on their assessment findings and will be specifically tailored to your child’s individual needs. Physiotherapy treatment in Neurosurgery often focuses on developing motor skills, such as head control, sitting, standing and walking. We also work with your child to prevent further loss of ability from their injury or illness. We teach children and their families how to perform exercises and take more control of managing their condition. We strongly encourage the child and their family to fully participate in all aspects of Physiotherapy i.e. fatigue management, exercises, positioning and goal setting.
Team Work:
Your Physiotherapist will work closely with you, your child, and with other members of the Neurosurgery team to discuss how your child is progressing and to set and review goals. As your child approaches discharge from hospital, they may require ongoing Physiotherapy input. Your Physiotherapist will discuss this with you and refer you to the appropriate local service. When a child’s Physiotherapy care is transferred to a local team we always communicate with them and provide a handover to ensure a smooth transition from the hospital setting to the community