Children's physiotherapy

About

Our children’s physiotherapy team is made up of physiotherapists who have completed additional training to specialise in the assessment and treatment of babies, children and young people with movement difficulties. Children are usually referred to this service by health visitors, GPs, paediatricians and orthopaedic consultants.

Conditions and treatments

Movement difficulties in children may be due to a short-term condition or a long-term illness or disability. The types of conditions seen by the service include:

• conditions children are born with, e.g. positional talipes (feet held in an abnormal position)
• acute soft tissue injuries, e.g. muscle and ligament sprains
• rehabilitation following orthopaedic surgery, e.g. fractures, leg-lengthening procedures
• conditions which cause delay to a child's ongoing physical development e.g. cerebral palsy/Down's Syndrome

Our paediatric physiotherapists use a range of approaches that are individually tailored to each child’s needs. This may include exercise programmes, postural management, bespoke orthotics, walking aids and other specialist equipment. Our physiotherapists work in partnership with parents, ensuring that they receive advice and support that enables them to support their child’s condition.

Further online resources

• Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapist
• Change4Life
• Scope
• Steps
• Erbs Palsy Group
• Contact a Family
• Full of Life Charity
• St Quintin Centre
• CanChild: Centre for Childhood Disability Research

Clinics

Our children's physiotherapy service holds clinics at a range of locations.

Child development physiotherapy service appointments are held in a range of locations, including: the Medical Centre at 7e Woodfield Road, the children’s therapies department at St Mary’s Hospital, children’s nurseries, schools and homes.

Children’s Physiotherapy: musculoskeletal clinics

Address

Children’s therapies
Children’s outpatients department
Sixth floor
Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother (QEQM) Building
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY

Hours

09.00 to 17.00, Monday through Friday

Contact information

Phone: 020 3312 6281

Children's physiotherapy: baby clinics

Address

Children's outpatients department
Ground floor
D block
Hammersmith Hospital
Du Cane Road
London W12 0HS

Hours

09.00 to 13.00 on Tuesdays 

Contact information

Phone: 020 3312 6281

Children's orthotic clinic

Address

Children’s therapies
Children’s outpatients department
Sixth floor
QEQM building
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY

Hours

09.00 to 16.00 on Wednesdays

Contact information

Phone: 020 3312 6281

Clinic: Children's physiotherapy: Child development service

Address

Children’s therapies
Children’s outpatients department
Sixth floor
QEQM building
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY

Hours

Appointments are scheduled by individual physiotherapists. Open Monday through Friday from 09.00 to 17.00.

Contact information

Phone: 020 3312 6281

Children's physiotherapy: child development service

Address

Child development service
First floor
The medical centre
7e Woodfield Road
London W9 3XZ

Hours

Appointments are scheduled by individual physiotherapists. Open Monday through Friday from 09.00 to 17.00.

Contact information

Phone: 020 3312 6281

Meet the team

Our children's physiotherapy service is managed by a team of specialist physiotherapists.

Physiotherapists

Rebecca Biggs, clinical service lead physiotherapist (paediatrics and neonates)
Harvey Kairon, clinical specialist physiotherapist (paediatrics)
Vanessa Odofin,clinical specialist physiotherapist (paediatrics)
Clare Chadwick, specialist paediatric physiotherapist
Annette Coomer, specialist paediatric physiotherapist
Francesca Crosby, specialist paediatric physiotherapist
Lucy Hodge, specialist paediatric physiotherapist
Amy Ruck, specialist paediatric physiotherapist
Caroline Stonehouse, specialist paediatric physiotherapist
Minal Patel, senior paediatric physiotherapist

Patient information

Find out what to expect when you attend your child's physiotherapy appointment.

Before your appointment

Referrals are reviewed and prioritised by senior clinicians. Urgent referrals are offered appointments within seven working days of receipt of referral. Routine referrals are offered appointments within eight weeks of receipt of referral.

You should attend all appointments with your child if they are under the age of 16.

During the appointment the physiotherapist may ask your child to undress so that they can look at how the child's arms, legs and spine are moving. We suggest that your child wears or brings suitable clothing for this assessment and treatment, e.g. shorts.

Please bring details of any other therapy services who currently or have previously seen your child. Please remember to check your appointment letter for anything specific you have been asked to take with you. In addition, it would be useful if you could bring the following:

• your full address and telephone number(s)
• your appointment card and appointment letter
• your GP’s name and address
• a list of questions you may want to ask your physiotherapist.

For paediatric orthotic clinic appointments please bring your child's current orthotics (e.g. insoles, splints).

During your appointment

If your appointment is at St Mary’s Hospital, please check in at main reception or use the self-service kiosks, and be sure to speak with a member of staff in the children’s therapy resource room so that the team knows you have arrived. If your appointment is at Hammersmith Hospital, please check in at main reception.

Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so medical students may be present for some appointments. If you or your child do not wish to have them in the room please let the nurse or doctor know and the students will be asked to step outside.

Appointments vary in length depending on the complexity of the condition. Initial assessment appointments are 30 minutes to one hour. Follow-up appointments are 30 minutes in length for outpatient clinics.

During the appointment the physiotherapist will ask questions about your child’s condition and general development, and will observe and assess their movement. This may include assessments of strength, flexibility, coordination, balance and development of movement. Depending on the age of your child, the physiotherapist may use games, play or activities to help during their assessment. The physiotherapist will then explain what they have noticed about your child’s condition and make recommendations. These may include giving advice, starting physiotherapy treatment, giving specific exercises to help with your child’s condition, or providing equipment such as crutches. Your child may also be referred for further assessment from other specialists.

After your appointment

The physiotherapist will work with you, your child and other carers to implement the physiotherapy recommendations. This may include follow-up appointments, which will be scheduled after your first appointment.

Patient information leaflet

• Positional Talipes Calcaneovalgus
• Children's Physiotherapy exercises after your operation

 

 

Referrals

Find out how to refer patients to our children's physiotherapy service.

GP advice 

There is a voice mail service for advice and enquiries. Messages are checked daily Monday through Friday. 
Phone: 020 3312 6281

GP referrals

Paediatric physiotherapy: musculoskeletal service

GPs need to complete a referral form and use NHS e-Referrals to refer to this service.. Referrals are accepted from GPs in north and central Westminster, and north Kensington and Chelsea who are within West London CCG and Central London CCG.

Child development physiotherapy service

Children and young people may be seen by the child development physiotherapy team if they are under the CLCH-led Child Development Service, or they attend special schools in Westminster. Referrals for the child development service should be sent to:

Child development service
Referrals Coordinator
The Medical Centre
7e Woodfield Road
London W9 3XZ

Phone: 020 7266 8777 

Paediatric orthotic clinic

This service accepts referrals from consultants only.

Secondary care referrals

Referrals should be sent to:
Children's physiotherapy
First floor
Bays building
St Mary's Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY

Referrals for child development physiotherapy service it should be sent to the address listed for the service above.

If the referrer is unsure where to refer, please call the paediatric physiotherapy service.