Physiotherapy – Children

The Physiotherapy service provides high level physiotherapy assessment, advice and management for patients of the Women's and Children's Health Network.

The Physiotherapy Department provides services to patients attending specialist clinics, who are admitted to the hospital or who are referred for outpatient management. “Hospital In The Home” services are provided for applicable consumers, a limited community physiotherapy service via selected CAFHS sites is also provided as well as regular outreach services to the Northern Territory.

Senior physiotherapy staff are involved in the education and oversight of students from the University of South Australia and Flinders University of SA.

Physiotherapists within WCHN provide consumer and family centred services that are evidence based, through the ongoing commitment to research review, continuing professional development and program development. The department is also committed to engaging consumers in the review and planning of services by regularly obtaining consumer feedback.

Physiotherapy staff within the Respiratory Physiotherapy Unit provide assessment, advice and management for a variety of conditions / presentations including:

Short term (acute) illnesses (e.g. pneumonia, bronchiolitis)
Long term (chronic) illnesses (e.g. cystic fibrosis, asthma)
After operations (e.g. chest, abdominal surgeries)
After trauma (e.g. car crash)

The Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Unit provides assessment, advice and management for a range of musculoskeletal presentations including:

Following orthopaedic admission/surgery
With congenital orthopaedic conditions, post injury, or pain associated problems
With burn, scar management or splinting requirements
Following trauma or plastic surgery
With juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, post amputation, chronic fatigue syndrome, psychosomatic conditions and sports injuries.

The unit contributes to the statewide approach to burns and scar management for children, and provides outreach services to the Northern Territory. Hydrotherapy services are also available.

Physiotherapy staff within the Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapy Unit assess, manage and provide referral services for movement dysfunction in children with neurodevelopmental, neurological and neuromuscular impairments such as:

Cerebral palsy
Acquired brain injuries
Delayed motor development
Coordination difficulties.

Early education and therapy is provided for premature babies to aid their development. Therapy begins in neonatal intensive care and continues through outpatient care. Children receive therapy individually or attend groups.

How to access this service

For children with an orthopaedic condition, referrals are only accepted from accredited medical practitioners of the WCH. For all other issues, conditions or concerns written referrals are accepted from WCH doctors and private paediatricians. Please note: GP referrals are not accepted

Upon receipt of the referral, the administration team will contact you for an appointment.

Hours

Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 4:00pm

Location

Ground Floor, Good Friday Building, Zone C

Contact

Phone

(08) 8161 7381

Fax

(08) 8161 7040

Mailing address

Physiotherapy Department

Paediatric Allied Health
Women's and Children's Hospital
72 King William Road
North Adelaide
South Australia 5006

Staff

Unit Head

Manager, Physiotherapy

Wee-Ren Kong – weeren.kong@sa.gov.au

Senior staff