Child and SDR FAQs

Things to look out for in the early years can include:

• delays in reaching development milestones – for example, not sitting by eight months or not walking by 18 months
• appearing too stiff or too floppy
• weak arms or legs
• clumsy or fidgety movements
• random movements
• walking on tiptoes
• plus, other challenges that health visitors or your GP can advise on

The complexity of symptoms can vary significantly – some people may be severely disabled, others may only have minor challenges. And because every person with cerebral palsy is unique, we have therapies to help every individual unlock their potential. 

All babies develop at different rates, and typical child development has many variations. When a baby isn’t meeting their expected milestones, you can seek information from your Health Visitor or your GP or you may be referred to a Paediatrician for further assessment. If you’re unsure what you can do to help your baby’s development, we can offer support and guidance.

• Therapy for children <link>: for those little ones that we saw under early intervention, we run an EI graduate therapy programme. It’s useful for the toddler to come back in for two more sessions (about 3 to 4 months after the block) to review how it’s all working out and perhaps to adapt or expand on the home programme. In addition to EI graduate we also offer regular or intensive therapy to children to support their ongoing development
• SDR therapy <link>: Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) is not a cure for cerebral palsy, but intends to improve mobility and quality of life for children. It’s a surgical procedure where nerve roots in the lower spinal cord are selectively disconnected to reduce spasticity (high muscle tone) in leg muscles. Following surgery it is recommended that children  have an intensive block of therapy to support their recovery

Our Bobath Therapy can support people of all ages:

• Babies 
• Children 
• Young people 
• Adults 

Essentially, the core of the therapy is similar, but how we work with you or your child may vary. Our therapy options <link> gives a range of therapies we can tailor into a plan that works best for you.

We like to keep it simple: we start with a welcome session to discuss your situation and needs, and we can then recommend a personal therapy plan <link to our therapy options>.

Welcome sessions <link >: a free, 45-minute session with a senior Bobath therapist, to understand you and your needs and discuss what we can do you support you specifically.

It’s an operation, where the nerve roots in the lower spinal cord are selectively disconnected to reduce high muscle tone (spasticity) in the leg muscles in children with cerebral palsy. This procedure can only be done once, and only for children who are carefully assessed and selected to be suitable for surgery. When it’s supported by physiotherapy (before and afterwards), it can greatly improve your child’s movement.

Muscles can become weak after surgery so having physio beforehand can help strengthen them. And it’s helpful to prepare you and your child for what to expect from the post-operative therapy programme.

As the surgery releases the muscles, the underlying weakness in those muscles can be exposed, particularly in the legs, which are essential for standing and walking. Initially, some activities might be more difficult as children have relied on the tension in their legs for stability. But this will improve as the muscles become stronger with intensive physiotherapy.

We start the pre-op therapy the same as all our other therapies for children – by building a relationship with you and your child and understanding how they move at that moment in time. We’ll work together on strengthening the muscles, without compromising the quality of their movement, elongating any tight muscles, and identifying any equipment needs.

• A welcome session to discuss your needs with a Bobath therapist
• Your completed parent questionnaire sent to you after your welcome session
• A copy of any recent medical report or therapy assessment
• A referral from your GP or Consultant

Because each child is different we will tailor what we recommend specifically to their needs. Usually it will be three to five times per week for the first three to six months followed by one or two sessions per week for 12-18 months. We also offer intensive blocks of therapy, where sessions happen twice a day for one or two weeks, which research has shown to support the best outcomes.

Swimming, cycling, and walking on a treadmill are all fun activities for your child to do after surgery. However, we will give guidelines as to when it would be the best time to start these activities.

Our Bobath training and experience means that we understand movement, posture, and balance and how they all work together. And our therapy focuses on independence and participation without compromising the quality of movement when treating your child. As your child is empowered to manage their own body while growing up, the experience will be physically and emotionally rewarding.