Services
Mobile paediatric and aquatic physiotherapy services for
newborns - 25 year olds in Sydney, NSW
Initial Physiotherapy Assessment and Ongoing Appointments
During an initial physiotherapy assessment, the therapist will spend some time talking about your concerns and goals. We can then do an objective assessment which helps us guide your personalised treatment plan and ongoing appointments if required.
NDIS Report Writing
Therapists at Sunny Kids Physiotherapy are trained in writing support letters and reports to assist in accessing NDIS funding. Please contact us for more information.
Aquatic Physiotherapy
Aquatic physiotherapy (previously called hydrotherapy) is physiotherapy in the pool! It’s available to clients at Sunny Kids Physiotherapy, as well as those who see another physio and would just like aquatic appointments. Aquatic physiotherapy has many purposes. For some, it’s an opportunity to get out of their wheelchair and have a stretch in the warm 32-33°C water. For others, the hydrostatic pressure of the water provides a calming effect which allows children with conditions such as ASD, ADHD and ODD to relax and concentrate on completing their exercises. Buoyancy can provide support, so that little ones having difficulty learning to walk can safely challenge their balancing skills. Being in the water can help those with lung clearance difficulties, and it can be a gentle way to reintroduce weight-bearing and rehabilitation post operation. For children who have spent many years doing therapy, aquatic physiotherapy is a fun and engaging way to change their routine!
Telehealth
Telehealth involves your child completing their usual appointment activities via a video call with their physiotherapist. It’s great for those who live in rural or remote locations and for those who may need to isolate due to illness. Telehealth services by a physiotherapist are covered by the NDIS and reduces the cost of your appointments by saving on travel. It's a fun and effective way of completing therapy when traditional 'in-person' activities aren't appropriate.
Groups
Our Sports Skills Group runs in Term 2 and Term 4. We teach a variety of sports (gymnastics, touch footy, soccer, basketball and martial arts) and social skills (teamwork, friendship, leadership and sportsmanship) in a fun, dynamic environment.
Exercise Programs
Is your little one starting to show an interest in exercise? Fantastic! Our physiotherapists are trained in introducing people to the exciting world of physical activity. We can help design a program for you with your goals in mind (and can incorporate partner exercises for siblings and parents who may want to join in!). We'll run through and demonstrate each exercise with you, encouraging safe techniques that promote effective growth and development.
Sports Coverage
We offer sports coverage for training sessions and competitions. The physiotherapist can provide taping, massage and acute injury assessment, and has their advanced first aid, CPR and suspected spinal injury management qualifications if needed.
Intensive Physiotherapy
Intensive Therapy involves a block of physiotherapy sessions of longer duration and higher frequency, usually over the school holidays. It’s appropriate, safe and beneficial for children with a variety of diagnoses, such as prematurity, CP, chromosomal abnormalities, syndromes, developmental delay, muscle tone disorders, and developmental coordination disorder. Research has demonstrated that children who participate in Intensive Therapy have shown more gains in strength, balance, independence, functional mobility and gross motor function scores than those participating in traditional therapy alone[1],[2].
Suitability is made on an individual basis through discussion with your physiotherapist. If deemed appropriate, a personalised intensive program is designed which incorporates your individual and family goals. We will incorporate a home exercise program to maximise improvements made outside of appointments. Following your child’s intensive block, we’ll provide a report which outlines the goals of the intensive, the initial assessment findings, examples of how the intervention was performed, and then the final assessment results.
Presentations
1. Raising a Superstar:
This presentation is often provided at day-cares and preschools to parents, carers and educators. Mitch talks about how best to nurture the physical development of your little one to maximise their growth and abilities. You’ll get some insights into what Mitch did as a child and how his family fostered an environment for him to grow up and achieve 3 national medals in 3 different sports whilst balancing study and extracurriculars. Warning signs and red flags in growth and development are also discussed, so that parents know what to look out for in-case something is ‘atypical’. There's always an opportunity for questions (but we try and limit them to ‘child’ physio problems, not adult sore back questions of course!).
2. Big Fat Lies:
Mitch takes his medical science degree and the knowledge from his time working at UNSW writing and designing a course on body fat, to make a scientifically accurate, super easy to understand presentation about weight loss. He talks about the physiological and biochemical processes by which carbon atoms (food/energy) get into our body, how they are stored (eg fat) and how they get back out (ie how we lose weight).This presentation is great for parents at day-care, preschool and primary school, as well as teenagers in high-school. Obesity and malnutrition contribute to the majority of today’s modern health problems, yet fat and metabolism are so poorly understood. This one is not the one to miss!
3. Nurturing an Elite Athlete:
Mitch has 3 national medals in 3 different sports. State level triathlons, state nippers champion and representative rugby… but how? The answer clearly isn't genetics because he has terrible ligaments and chronic hay fever! We've teamed up with an accredited Australian Dietitian to cover: training, competition, optimising performance and growth, injury prevention, nutrition and sports supplements, an introduction to sports psychology and finishes with sport/life balance. Join Mitch’s infectious passion for physical activity and sport, as he provides his personalised insights though degrees in medical science and physiotherapy as well as his reflections as an elite athlete to deliver a truly knowledgeable experience.
Who do we treat?
At Sunny Kids Physiotherapy, we see newborns, toddlers, children and teenagers with a wide variety of conditions, such as:
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Little ones who aren't meeting their developmental milestones (such as not walking at the expected age) or those with developmental delays
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Neurodiverse patients (eg ASD and ADHD)
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Children with hypermobility and low muscle tone
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Children having difficulty with motor skills (such as jumping, hopping and ball skills), those with poor coordination and clumsiness, and those with motor disorders (such as DCD/dyspraxia).
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Children with postural concerns (eg back pain, W-sitting, scapular winging)
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Children who have trouble walking heel-toe (toe-walkers)
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Orthopaedic conditions (eg intoeing, flat feet, fracture rehab, talipes, torticollis and flat heads)
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Genetic disorders (such as muscular dystrophies and Down Syndrome)
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Recent and old sports Injuries
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Prehabilitation (physiotherapy assessment and recommendations prior to starting to reduce the risk of injury)
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Children who have experienced an injury or trauma and require rehabilitation
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Mental health disorders (eg anxiety and depression)
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Children with brain injuries
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Chronic respiratory conditions (eg CF and bronchiectasis)
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Rheumatological conditions (eg JIA)
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Those who have bone and tendon problems, such as calcaneal apophysitis (Sever's disease) and Osgood Sclatter Disease
Don't see your condition listed? Paediatric physiotherapy covers a broad scope so please feel free to leave a message and share your thoughts.
Feedback, Compliments and Complaints
Sunny Kids Physiotherapy is committed to using gold-standard, up-to-date evidence, based on the latest research and findings from leading therapists and studies throughout the world. We embrace and promote diversity and equality throughout our therapy and practice, and ensure that kindness and passion are at the heart of our connections to little ones and their families.
Should you wish to provide a compliment, or you're unhappy with a service, please contact us to leave your feedback. We aim to respond to messages within 2 business days, and will do our best to resolve issues whilst continuing to grow and improve as therapists and as a practice.
[1] Ustad, Sorsdahl, Ljunggren, 2009, ‘Effects of intensive physiotherapy in infants newly diagnosed with cerebral palsy’. Pediatric Physical Therapy, Vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 140-8, DOI:10.1097/PEP.0b013e3181a3429e.
[2] Trahan, Johanne, Malouin, Francine, 2002, ‘Intermittent intensive physiotherapy in children with cerebral palsy: A pilot study’. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, vol. 44, pp. 233-9, DOI:10.1017/S0012162201002006.