First Step Therapy Services

First Step Therapy Services FSTS • Where your child feels at home! ✨
Physiotherapy Services for Children
📍 Clayton & Heidelberg
📩 DM us or call for inquiries 0451-091-261 | 0468-102-269
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The meltdown by the front door. The tears over the wrong-coloured cup. Big feelings are exhausting — for them and for yo...
09/09/2026

The meltdown by the front door. The tears over the wrong-coloured cup. Big feelings are exhausting — for them and for you. 😮‍💨

Here’s something that surprises a lot of parents: a big part of calming down is physical, not verbal. Before children can ‘use their words’, their body has to settle. That’s where movement comes in. 🧠

Three that can help: a quick burst of movement to shift the energy, some ‘heavy work’ like carrying or pushing something (it’s genuinely calming for the nervous system), and you — staying close and slowing your own breathing. 🤝 Co-regulation before self-regulation, every time.

None of this is about getting it perfect. And with R U OK? Day tomorrow, a gentle reminder: how a parent is going matters too. 💙

The full blog is up now — link in bio!

Heidelberg & Clayton South, VIC.

💙 Quick myth-bust for World Physiotherapy Day: physio isn't only for injuries.When people picture a physio, they usually...
08/09/2026

💙 Quick myth-bust for World Physiotherapy Day: physio isn't only for injuries.

When people picture a physio, they usually think sports injuries or a sore back.

Paediatric physio looks pretty different!

For little ones, so much of our work is about movement — learning to sit, crawl, walk, run, climb, and keep up with the other kids at the park. 🏃 Some children need a hand building strength or balance. Some are working towards a milestone that hasn't come as easily. Some just want to join in without tiring so quickly.

And that's really the whole point. It's less about the exercise on the mat and more about the birthday party they can race around at, the ball game they can join, the school day they can get through. 🎈⚽

So today we're celebrating the small, everyday wins — and the families who make them happen! 🌱

And a very special Happy World Physiotherapy Day to our incredible FSTS physios. 💙 Thank you for the patience, creativity and care you bring to every child and family you work with. The difference you make goes far beyond the clinic!

If you've ever wondered whether physio could help your child, that's a conversation we're always happy to have. Ivanhoe and beyond — Heidelberg & Clayton South, VIC.

Today is World Duchenne Awareness Day 💙 — a day to understand a little more about Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and the f...
07/09/2026

Today is World Duchenne Awareness Day 💙 — a day to understand a little more about Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and the families living with it.

Duchenne is a genetic condition that affects muscle strength over time. There’s no quick answer, but the right support around a child can make a real difference to how they move, how comfortable they are, and how fully they take part in everyday life. 🌱

This is where paediatric physio fits in. We work alongside families on gentle strengthening, stretches, positioning and equipment as needs change — always with the same aim: play, school, friendships and family life staying within reach. 🤝

If your family is navigating Duchenne, or any neuromuscular condition, you don’t have to work it out alone. Reach out any time — Watsonia and beyond. Heidelberg & Clayton South, VIC.

To the dads on the floor at 6pm running through the home program one more time — today is for you. 💙So much of a child’s...
06/09/2026

To the dads on the floor at 6pm running through the home program one more time — today is for you. 💙

So much of a child’s progress happens between appointments: the practice, the encouragement, the ‘go on, you’ve got this’ from someone they trust. 👏 Dads, grandads, uncles and father-figures are a huge part of that, and it doesn’t go unnoticed here.

If you’re a dad wondering how to support your child’s movement at home, or whether something you’ve noticed is worth checking, you’re always welcome to ask us. Being involved doesn’t mean having all the answers. 🤝

Happy Father’s Day from all of us. 🎉 Preston and beyond — Heidelberg & Clayton South, VIC.

01/09/2026

✈️ Heading away with a little one? Tummy time can come with you. 👶

You don't need fancy equipment — just two rolled-up towels for support. 💙 Set it up on a picnic rug, hotel bed, or even at the beach.

Tummy time helps build strength through the neck, shoulders and trunk while giving bub a new view of the world!

Keep it short, playful and always supervised while bub is awake.

📌 Save this for your next trip and send it to a parent who's packing right now!

Questions about your little one's movement? Book a chat with our team — Heidelberg & Clayton South. Link in bio.

Meet Dhanu 💛One of the lovely physios on our team, Dhanu is all about early intervention, developmental delays, cerebral...
28/08/2026

Meet Dhanu 💛

One of the lovely physios on our team, Dhanu is all about early intervention, developmental delays, cerebral palsy and gross motor skills — with sessions that feel more like play than hard work!

She works closely with families, schools and the wider team, so the progress keeps going between visits.

Away from the clinic? You'll find her painting, building LEGO and miniatures, cooking or off exploring somewhere new.

Come say hi! 👋

“My leg hurts” at bedtime 😓 — again. Is it growing pains, or something to get checked? Growing pains are real and very c...
26/08/2026

“My leg hurts” at bedtime 😓 — again. Is it growing pains, or something to get checked?

Growing pains are real and very common. They usually turn up in both legs, in the muscles rather than the joints, in the late afternoon or overnight, and they are gone by morning. A rub, a warm pack and a cuddle usually do the trick. 💙

🔎 What makes us want a closer look: pain in one spot or one leg only, pain in a joint, a limp, swelling or heat, pain that wakes them and hangs around in the morning, or a child who seems generally unwell. Any of those, and it is worth getting seen.

🤝 Where we fit: if a ni**le keeps coming back or stops your child doing what they love, a paediatric physio can assess it and help you work out the next step — including sending you on to a GP or paediatrician when that is the right call.

📖 Full guide, including the what-to-watch-for checklist, is on the blog — link in bio.

📍 Heidelberg & Clayton South, VIC.

“My child still isn’t walking — should I be worried?” 👣 If your little one is taking longer to find their feet, you are ...
21/08/2026

“My child still isn’t walking — should I be worried?” 👣

If your little one is taking longer to find their feet, you are definitely not alone. Every child develops at their own pace, but there are some simple ways to support the strength, balance and confidence they need for those first steps. 🌱

From encouraging early movement skills to creating more opportunities for standing, cruising and exploring, small things at home can make a difference.

💙 Where we fit: if this is a question that's been on your mind, a paediatric physio can take a proper look and put your mind at ease — or get in early if something does need support.

📖 Full blog is on our website — link in bio.

📍 Heidelberg & Clayton South, VIC.

🔬 It is National Science Week, so here is some science you can actually use: teenagers grow in bursts, and their bodies ...
19/08/2026

🔬 It is National Science Week, so here is some science you can actually use: teenagers grow in bursts, and their bodies spend a while catching up. 🌱

During a growth spurt, the long bones can lengthen faster than the muscles and tendons around them, which is why a normally coordinated kid can suddenly feel tight, clumsy or sore. It is also why a lot of teen sport ni**les show up — front-of-knee pain, heel pain, achy shins. 🦵

Most of it is load-related and settles with the right adjustments, not with stopping sport altogether. 🏃‍♀️

💡 Where we fit: a physio can help work out whether a ni**le is 'growing, keep an eye on it' or 'let's look at this properly', and can guide training load, strength and recovery so your teen keeps playing.

📖 More on this in next Wednesday's blog — growing pains versus injury, and how to tell the difference.

📍 Heidelberg & Clayton South, VIC.

🔬 National Science Week starts tomorrow, so here is a bit of movement science you can hold in your hand. 🦶An AFO — an an...
14/08/2026

🔬 National Science Week starts tomorrow, so here is a bit of movement science you can hold in your hand. 🦶

An AFO — an ankle-foot orthosis — is a lightweight support, usually moulded plastic, worn on the lower leg and foot, often under a shoe. Its job is to hold the ankle and foot in a helpful position so that standing, balancing and walking take less effort. 👣

Who might wear one? Children whose muscles work a little differently — for example with cerebral palsy, low muscle tone, foot drop or persistent toe walking — where the ankle needs a steady base to do its thing.

💡 What it can do: an AFO can support a more stable stance, may make walking less tiring, and can help a child take part in more of the moving, playing and keeping-up that matters to them.

🤝 Where we fit: a physio assesses whether an AFO might help, works with an orthotist on the right type and fit, checks how your child moves in it, and builds the strength around it. An AFO is one part of a plan, never a fix on its own.

Questions about your child's walking or an AFO? Message us.

📍 Heidelberg & Clayton South, VIC.

Address

Clayton South, VIC

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 3pm
Sunday 8am - 2pm

Telephone

+61420980160

Website

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