Overview
Paediatric physiotherapists are experts in human movement, development and function. We have specialist knowledge in the assessment and management of children and young adults. Physiotherapy aims to help and treat children and young people with physical problems as well as providing support to their families and carers.
Physiotherapists support young people who have difficulty with movement and treat short and long-term conditions that impact on physical development, activity and their ability to participate in play, learning and socialising.
We work with the child/young person, their family and Health and Education colleagues to encourage each child to get the most out of their lives and fully develop their potential, from birth to the time they transition to adult services.
In Grampian, we have a dedicated team of paediatric physiotherapists and therapy support workers covering Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, six Child Development Teams (Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire) and Moray Community Social and Healthcare Partnership.
We see children in various locations throughout Grampian, including schools, nurseries, playgroups, hospitals, clinics or in their own home.
What does a physiotherapist do?
Paediatric (children’s) physiotherapists bring their specialist skills as physiotherapists and have additional expert knowledge and experience of child development and of childhood conditions. We use play and exercise to guide your child through the various stages of development or recovery from surgery or injury. Throughout the treatment period, we will keep reassessing your child’s progress and develop their programme as necessary (for example changes to an exercise programme, stretching or introducing equipment etc). With you, we will set goals that matter to you and your child and we will work towards them together.
Tools & Resources
Our team of physiotherapists have produced some tools and resources children and families can use at home including a helpful poster some Helpful Guidelines for Physical Activity.
Requesting help from our service
The aim of our physiotherapy team is to be sector leading in providing the right help at the right time for all children and young people in Grampian. We receive requests for assistance from whoever has a concern regarding a child or young person’s mobility, movement, physical development, function or ability and in the first instance, our skilled triage team will deal individually with each request.
There are a number of ways in which support may be offered, including:
- Reassurance, support and advice
- Signposting to other services, community resources and groups
- Assessment and advice or intervention if needed
There are a number of useful leaflets to have a look at with some advice about some of the most common concerns. You might find these useful prior to contacting us.
How to get in touch
We aim to make our service accessible to those who need us and so we can be contacted in a variety of ways. One of the key ways is through our Advice Line which is open to anyone who has questions or concerns and is available twice weekly.
Perhaps you are unsure whether Physiotherapy might be the right route for you, or maybe you just want to talk over a concern? The advice line may is staffed by experienced paediatric Physiotherapists and may be just what you need.
Request for Assistance
If you think that Physiotherapy Assessment is required for any child or young person, then we have 3 routes for assessment – either to the Children’s Hospital in Aberdeen, to one of our Aberdeen City or Aberdeenshire Child Development Teams or to the specialist paediatric physiotherapy team in Moray:
1. For concerns regarding soft tissue injuries, joint pains, or other musculo-skeletal or growth issues, for children living in Aberdeen City or Aberdeenshire, please complete the form below. The form should then be sent via the email address gram.childrensphysiotherapy@nhs.scot
Request for Assistance Form for Paediatric Physiotherapy – Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital
2. For concerns around a child’s development in Aberdeen City or Aberdeenshire, please complete the form below. This is the form used by the Community Child Health Team (and others) to refer into the Child Development Team. The form should then be emailed to gram.cdtphysiotherapy@nhs.scot
Request For Assistance Form for Paediatric Physiotherapy – Child Development Teams.
3. For all concerns for children and young people living in Moray, please complete the form below and e-mail to gram.childrensphysiomoray@nhs.scot
Request For Assistance Form for Paediatric Physiotherapy – Moray.
If you are uncertain of the best route for assessment, please select the one that you think is most appropriate. Our triage team will forward it on if they consider it better dealt with through one of the other routes. We accept Requests for Assistance from anyone, including parents and young people themselves, but Physiotherapy assessment and /or intervention are not always required. The experienced Physiotherapy triage team will consider each request individually and will respond in every case.
Staff Contact Details
Physiotherapy Lead – Irene Croal
Paediatric Physiotherapy, 1st Floor Therapy Suite, Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, Westburn Road, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZG
Telephone: 01224 551583
E-mail: gram.rachphysiotherapy@nhs.scot
Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital
Paediatric Physiotherapy, 1st Floor Therapy Suite, Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, Westburn Road, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZG
Telephone: 01224 552669
Email: gram.rachphysiotherapy@nhs.scot
Monday – Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm. Out with these hours you can leave a message and a physiotherapist will get back to you as soon as possible.
Community Child Development Teams (CDT)
Aberdeen City Teams
North City CDT
Child Development Team
Bucksburn Academy
Kepplehills Road
Bucksburn,
AB21 9DG
Telephone: 01224 710773
Email: gram.cdtnorth@nhs.scot
Central CDT
Child Development Team
Mile End School
Midstocket Road
Aberdeen
AB15 5PD
Telephone: 01224 498091
Email: gram.cdtcentral@nhs.scot
South City CDT
Lochside Academy
Wellington Circle, Altens
Aberdeen
AB12 3JG
Telephone: 01224 241752
Email: gram.cdtsouth@nhs.scot
Aberdeenshire Teams
Banff and Buchan CDT
Child Development Team
Fraserburgh Hospital
Lochpotts Road
Fraserburgh
AB43 9NF
Telephone: 01346 585143
Email: gram.bbcdt@nhs.scot
Inverurie CDT
Child Development Team
Inverurie Academy
Jackson Street
Inverurie
AB51 3PX
Telephone: 01467 672771
Email: gram.invercdt@nhs.scot
Kincardine and Deeside CDT
Kincardine Community Hospital
Kirkton Road
Stonehaven
AB39 2NJ
Telephone: 01569 792028
Email: gram.kanddcdt@nhs.scot
The Child Development teams provide a Monday – Friday service from 8.30-4.30. However, not all teams have a physiotherapist present every day, but out with these hours you can leave a message and a physiotherapist will get back to you as soon as possible.
