Physiotherapy Specialist Clinics

Physical Disability Annual Review Clinic

This clinic is for every child on the Physiotherapy caseload with a known physical disability. Your child/young person will be offered an appointment in this clinic on an annual basis. To help minimise appointments and to support co-ordinating your child/young person's care, members of the multi-disciplinary team will be invited to join the appointment. Within this clinic a number of physical assessments will be completed to allow us to create a comprehensive report. This will also include relevant goals and up to date recommendations. This clinic is usually held at the Child Development Centre and so parents/carers are expected to attend. ​

 

Neuro-Orthopaedic Clinic

Your child/young person will be offered an appointment in this clinic when surgical options are being considered. This clinic is run jointly with a Physiotherapsit, Community Paediatrician and Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeons from Peterborough City Hospital and Addenbrookes Hospital to ensure a multi-disciplinary approach. It is an opportunity to assess your child/young person and discuss the need, benefits, risks and long term goals for surgical intervention.

The appointment will take place at the Child Development Centre and each appointment is approximately 45 minutes long. 

What happens at the clinic

At your appointment we will discuss your child’s current function and mobility level, pain, strengths, areas of concerns and your expectations following surgery. We will complete a physical assessment, including observation your child's gait (if possible), joint range review and muscle strength testing. 

If relevant, your child may have been for an x-ray prior to this appointment. We will review this and discuss the findings with you and your child/young person.  We will together make recommendations and agree with you a plan going forwards. If surgery is recommended, we will discuss your child's upcoming journey including hospital admission, stay, discharge and post-operative rehabiliation. 

We are aware that there will be a lot of information given to you and your child/young person within this appointment and it can be difficult to make decisions around surgery. You will, of course, be given time to consider what has been discussed and can access the Physiotherapy team if you think of questions at a later stage or want to talk through the options again. 

What happens after the appointment

Following the appointment you will receive a clinic letter covering what was discussed, details of the assessment and the proposed plans. If surgery was recommended and agreed then further information inviting you for a pre-operative assessment will come directly from the Orthopaedic team at Peterborough City Hospital. 

If you require to speak with the Orthopaedic team directly, you can call the switchboard at the hopsital on 01733 678 000 and ask to be put through to them. 

Tone Management Clinic

This clinic gives opportunity to review your child/young person's muscle tone and discuss options to manage this and enhance their function. The clinic is run jointly by a Consultant Paediatrician specialising in neuro-disability and a member of the Physiotherapy team. If relevant, other members of your child's multi-disciplinary team may also attend the appointment. 

Treatment options include: 

  • Medication
  • Botulinum toxin injections
  • Referral for an orthopaedic option to explore surgical options

Information about Botulinum Toxin

If Botulinum toxin injections is identified as the appropriate treatment for your child, you will recieve an appointment to have this at Peterborough City Hospital. 

Following your child/young person's injections they may require serial casting. This will be discussed with you during your child/young person's assessment appointment. Your child/young person will then be offered up to 6 therapy treatment sessions to optimise the outcome. Your child/young person will be invited back for a review 4 months after the injections. 

Orthotics Clinic

This clinic is run in conjunction with an external orthotics company. A child will be seen in clinic by an orthotist and physiotherapist. This joint approach allows us to provide the best orthosis to fit the child/young person's functional needs. The child/young person will be referred into this clinic by their physiotherapist. ​

The clinic runs every 2 weeks on a Friday from 9am-4pm. ​

What to bring:​

  • Any current orthosis​
  • Mobility aids if used​
  • Suitable clothing (shorts where possible)​

If clinically indicated we may provide: ​

  • Custom insoles​
  • AFO's​
  • KAFO's​
  • GRAFO's​
  • Shoe raises​
  • Rocker soles ​
  • Gaiters​
  • Night/resting splints​
  • Off the shelf orthosis

Neuromuscular Clinic

This clinic is run on a 3-4 monthly basis and is designed to review children with a confirmed neuromuscular diagnosis. It is a joint clinic with the Consultant Paediatrician, Neuromuscular Advisor and Physiotherapist. Within this clinic the child/young person's progress and management will be reviewed, relevant assessments completed and goal sets. It offers opportunity for you as parents, as well as your child/young person to discuss any concerns and ask questions. 

Useful links:​

Inclusive Sports

For children to lead a healthy lifestyle they need to move as much as possible. It is recommended that children are active for at least 60 minutes per day to help keep their hearts healthy and bones strong- and if they have additional needs, this is just as important. ​

There are several inclusive sports clubs and activities that are available in the local and surrounding areas of Peterborough. Please see the links below to some of these:

Please Note that your therapist may recommend swimming or hydrotherapy for your child/young person. This is not a service that is provided by the NHS however may still be identified as beneficial for your child/young person. For some it may be suitable to attend any local swimming pool within the area, whereas for others a specialist hydrotherapy pool may be required. Your therapist will be able to advise you where you may be able to access this however please be aware that hydrotherapy pools within Peterborough are limited with availability and there is a cost to access them. This is not funded by the NHS despite being a recommendation. 

What to Bring and Wear to Appointments

  • During physiotherapy appointments it is important for us to be able to observe how the body is moving and your child/young person may be required to undress so that this is possible. If your child/young person is older then we advise for them to wear shorts and vest/tshirt or lose fitting clothing. 
  • Your child may already have equipment such as a walking frame or orthotics (splints). Please bring these to your appointments so that these can be reviewed. Please note we do not expect you to bring large pieces of equipment to your appointments such as standing frames. 
  • If your child/young person is hoisted, please bring them with their sling in situ. 
  • Some appointments may take some time and your child/young person may require a drink or snack as well as their favourite toy or entertainment. 
  • You might find it useful to write a list of questions prior to your child/young personas appointment that you would like to ask as it is easy to forget them when you are in the appointment.

Useful Websites

As a patient

As a patient, relative or carer using our services, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice, and support. 

Patient Advice and Liaison service  Contact the Trust