Physiotherapy Specialist Clinics

Physical Disability Annual Review Clinic

Therapy Outcome Measure Clinic

This clinic is for every child on the physiotherapy caseload with a known physical disability. Your child or young person will be offered an appointment in this clinic on an annual basis. If your child is also seen by the occupational therapy team, they will also attend this 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 so parents and carers are expected to attend with the child or young person.

What physical assessments might be completed?

  • Muscle strength testing
  • Functional testing — for example, timed up and go
  • Goal-setting
  • ICF framework, use of outcome measures to monitor goals

Specialist Health Annual Review Clinic

The Specialist Health Annual Review Clinic clinics are led by the Community Paediatrics Team and will take place only if your child is under this service. This is your child or young person’s ‘annual review’ where they are seen by any members of the community multi-disciplinary team actively involved in their care. As well as a community paediatrician, this may include a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, specialist nurses, and dieticians.

This appointment takes place at the Child Development Centre, Peterborough, and is an opportunity to discuss all aspects of your child or young person’s care, including any current concerns, health updates, therapy input, transitions and goals. Some physical assessments may take place; however, these are often more medical investigations such as checking chest health (use of stethoscope), height and weight, looking in eyes and ears and checking head circumference.

These appointments may last up to 90 minutes. 

Neuro-Orthopaedic Clinic

Your child or young person will be offered an appointment in this clinic when surgical options are being considered. This clinic is run jointly with a physiotherapist, community paediatrician and paediatric orthopaedic surgeons from Peterborough City Hospital and Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, to ensure a multi-disciplinary approach. It is an opportunity to assess your child or 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, Peterborough, and each appointment is about 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 of your child's gait (where appropriate), 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 or young person.  We will together make recommendations and agree with you a plan going forward. If surgery is recommended, we will discuss your child's upcoming journey including hospital admission, stay, discharge and post-operative rehabilitation. 

We are aware that there will be a lot of information given to you and your child or 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 directly with the orthopaedic team, you can call the switchboard at the hospital on 01733 678 000 and ask to be put through.  

Tone Management Clinic

This clinic gives opportunity to review your child or 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 are identified as the appropriate treatment for your child, you will receive an appointment to have this at Peterborough City Hospital. 

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

Lycra Clinic

What are Lycra garments?

Lycra refers to specially-designed and often custom-made garments. They are made from special fabrics where panels and reinforcements can be incorporated on to the garments to enhance proprioception to specific body areas, which can lead to increased body awareness.

Lycra isn’t appropriate for every child or young person. This will be assessed on an individual basis by your child's or young person’s therapist. Lycra can sometimes reduce muscle imbalance, improve posture, and support with the management of abnormal muscle tone. As a result, Lycra can enhance a child or young person’s quality of movement and postural management, supporting their ability to engage in daily activities.
 
Lycra may not be offered in periods of rapid growth. 
 
Lycra garments come in many shapes and sizes:

  • Full body suits - long or short sleeves and full or short legs.
  • Top: Long sleeves, short sleeves or as a vest.
  • Bottoms: Full leggings or shorts
  • Gloves: Different finger lengths available
  • Socks
  • Gauntlets or arm sleeves 

What happens during a Lycra Clinic appointment?

During the initial Lycra appointment, a physical examination will assess your child’s posture and function whilst therapeutic and functional goals are set. Measurements will be taken using a soft tape measure. During this appointment, your child may be required to undress, depending on the garment required, as measurements cannot be taken over the top of clothes. Your therapist will then decide on additional panelling required and specifications are sent off to produce your child’s bespoke garment.

Your child will have a follow-up appointment (usually within eight weeks) to fit the garment. You will be shown how to put on and remove the Lycra garment, and a wearing regime will be discussed.  Your child’s therapist will monitor the effectiveness of the Lycra as well as your child’s compliance with wearing this.   

Where can I find more information ?

Neuromuscular Clinic

This clinic is designed to review children with a confirmed neuromuscular diagnosis. You will be seen annually in this clinic, as well as your annual review at your tertiary centre (for example, Addenbrooke's, Great Ormond Street). These will alternate, meaning you will be seen twice each year.

It is a joint clinic with the consultant paediatrician, neuromuscular advisor, physiotherapist and occupational therapist. Within this clinic the child or young person's progress and management will be reviewed, relevant assessments completed and goals set. It offers an opportunity for you as parents, as well as your child or 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. 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 or young person. This is not a service that is provided by the NHS; however, it may still be identified as beneficial for your child or 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. Please be aware that there is limited availability for hydrotherapy pools in Peterborough and there is a cost to access them. This is not funded by the NHS, despite being a recommendation.