Physically challenged child

almag

Fri, Oct 27 2017, 12:02 am

Hey, my child is physically challenged. He is not able to walk. His one leg has a bend. Because of this bend, he is not able to enjoy his childhood. He always cries when he sees other children of his same age playing. He is 3 years old. One of my friends suggested surgery for the correction and my parents suggested a registered physiotherapy center in Mississauga registered physiotherapy center in Mississauga where my child can undergo physiotherapy. Which one will be better, physiotherapy or surgery? If we undergo psychotherapy, will it give 100% result? Is there any risk involved in physiotherapy as in surgery? If we perform surgery it will leave marks on the body. Whereas for the physiotherapy nothing like that will be there. Will this physiotherapy take more time? Is this physiotherapy painful? Please give me valuable suggestion.

gande

Fri, Oct 27 2017, 2:01 am

Hi there. As a mother of a child with special needs, I know the hardship of trying to make the best decision for your child and getting them the best care. There are many different types of PT but none of them are magic and they help to varying degrees. You did not elaborate what is wrong with your child so it is hard to guide you. I personally like the Anat Baniel-Feldenkrais method. However, it is not covered by insurance and can be costly. You can dm me for more information.

amother

Teal

Fri, Oct 27 2017, 8:39 am

My daughter also has some physical problems, we have been doing PT for many years. PT is amazing and has worked really well for us (we're still in it of course), but it cannot fix everything. It's generally recommended to try PT before trying surgery, but it is't true for every problem. You really need to consult with a doctor who can guide you.

You probably also want a physical therapost trained to work with children, not an injury expert like in that Missisauga link. A doctor should be able to guide you.

Does your son have a wheelchair or a walker? If he can use any device to help him get around, 3 is a reasonable age to start (some recommend waiting until 4). If he can walk the help of different types of walkers, crutches, or similar, that would be great - a PT can help him with that and it will give him some independence. But that won't make him walk necessarily, and for some conditions, surgery may the only way to allow him to walk truly independently. Surgery always has risks, but sometimes the payoff is worth it, but only a doctor can tell you what the likely outcome of surgery is.

What has his doctor recommended?