25/04/2026
โจ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ โจ
Iโve noticed quite a few posts recently asking for recommendations for childrenโs physiotherapists and itโs brilliant to see people reaching out for support โค๏ธ
But there are a couple of really important things to be aware of ๐
Often, when names are suggested or people tag themselves:
โข They ๐ฎ๐ข๐บ be physiotherapists โ๏ธ
โข They may ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ have experience in paediatrics โ
โข And sometimes they arenโt actually physiotherapists at all โ
There are lots of professionals out there with titles like ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ฑ๐ช๐ด๐ต, ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฃ ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ต, or similar - but these are ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐.
๐ก In the UK the title ๐ฑ๐ฉ๐บ๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ฑ๐ช๐ด๐ต is protected.
This means only professionals registered with the ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น can legally use it.
And this really matters - especially for children.
A child is not just a small adult.
Their skeletal systems are immature, their bodies are still developing, their bones are growing and their needs are completely different. Assessment, handling and treatment should ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ reflect that.
๐ก ๐ฆ๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ?
The ๐ง๐ช๐ณ๐ด๐ต thing to check is:
๐๐ผ Are they a registered physiotherapist?
๐๐ผ Do they have senior experience in paediatrics?
You should also feel confident that your physio is:
โข Open and honest about their areas of expertise
โข Working safely within their scope of practice
โข Willing to signpost you elsewhere if needed
I feel really strongly about this.
I donโt take on every child who enquires with me and thatโs intentional. If I donโt believe Iโm the ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต person to help, I will always recommend someone who is.
In paediatrics safety and doing the right thing will always come before business ๐ค
Those of us working in this field tend to know each other and share that same approach.
I also work within medical legal services as a paediatric physio expert witness where part of my role involves reviewing cases where physiotherapy care has been questioned. Sadly there are situations where people have worked beyond their scope which has led to significant harm.
So please, if youโre ever unsure:
๐๐ผ Ask about qualifications
๐๐ผ Check registration
๐๐ผ Ask about paediatric experience
And finally;
If anyone suggests they can โ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ฑ๐ถ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ญ๐ฅโ๐ด ๐ซ๐ฐ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ดโ or use electrotherapy treatments on them ๐ฉ
๐๐ปโโ๏ธ RUN away.
Your child deserves safe, skilled and appropriate care - always ๐
