During your appointment
At your first appointment we'll discuss with you the best type of rehabilitation for your child and for you, as parents delivering the therapy.
We'll complete a detailed assessment of your child and decide if an intensive 6-week rehabilitation programme is suitable for you and your child. For this type of programme, you and your child will need to feel motivated and be able to take part in a programme that can disrupt family routines. For a programme concentrating on arm and hand function, children will need to sit at a table for the play-based activities.
Ideally, your local occupational therapy or physiotherapy service will be able to:
- come to a joint goal-setting appointment at our hospital (either face-to-face or virtually), and
- provide weekly sessions in your local area for the duration of the 6 week programme.
About the rehabilitation programme
Our treatments (shown to be effective in research studies) include an individualised programme, for children aged 6 months to 16 years, with particular focus on how a child uses their arms and hands in every day activities. Our techniques include:
- bimanual therapy
- a hybrid approach (modified constraint-induced movement therapy with bimanual therapy)
- goal-directed training
If you want o read more about research around the specific interventions we offer, please get in touch with us and we can send you details.
We decide on the frequency of sessions before children start our programmes. All assessments are documented, and findings are shared with you and relevant professionals. Assessments also take place after the programme has ended.
All programmes are a combination of face-to-face appointments at the hospital and virtual appointments to support you at home.
Local therapists partnering with us will arrange their appointments directly with you. They are also welcome to attend any sessions we deliver, and we keep in touch throughout the programme.
What happens after a rehabilitation programme
As a specialist service, our aim is to offer support, consultation and advice to supplement your local service, who are responsible for your child’s therapy. Therefore, we do not offer routine ongoing reviews.
Usually your child is reviewed after the programme ends and then discharged.