Baby Physiotherapy

Taking a baby to a physiotherapist is a very different experience to an adult seeing a physiotherapist. We often meet parents who are unsure what Paediatric Physiotherapy involves and what they should expect in an assessment for their little one.

Baby physiotherapists assess how children move and provide exercises to help reduce muscle tightness, increase movement or attain new skills. Canberra Children’s Physiotherapy especially focuses on providing play-based exercises for little kiddos to ensure they are fun and able to be achieved.

Babies can see a physiotherapist for musculoskeletal concerns (such as torticollis, plagiocephaly, hip dysplasia) or gross motor delays (such as rolling, crawling and walking). Some babies who attend physiotherapy may have a diagnosis such as Down Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy and require specific therapy techniques to assist their movement.

At an initial appointment, a Paediatric Physiotherapist will discuss any movement concerns as well as get a bit of background information about the pregnancy and birth. We are also very interested in how baby has been developing since being earthside. Once we have all the information, we will then assess how baby is moving. We like to assess their feet, knees, hips, spine and neck specifically to see how the muscles and joints are moving. We’ll also try to see how baby is rolling or crawling, if they are up to those milestones.

Canberra Children’s Physiotherapy takes a holistic approach when seeing infants. We work collaboratively with other professionals including lactation consultants, midwives, osteopaths, occupational therapists and speech pathologists to achieve the best outcome for children and their families. We are very passionate about supporting parents to feel confident in their baby’s movement and development.

If you have any concerns about your baby’s development or if your baby has a diagnosis that requires physiotherapy, don’t hesitate to reach out. We would love to support you in your journey.