Children's Therapy Services

The Children’s Therapy team at York Hospital work with children, young people and their families across a broad range of needs for physiotherapy, speech language and communication needs, occupational health and dietetics.  Please follow the link to the Therapy Services web pages for information about their work, and how to refer.

 

You can read more information about the Children's Therapy Team, by using the pages on the York Hospital website.

 

Speech and Language Therapy

The speech and language therapy service offers an open referral system so that children may be referred by parents or by health/educational professionals. Children referred to speech and language therapy will be seen for an initial assessment in their local clinic. Further appointments may be in clinic or in their school, pre-school children may be visited in their settings.

The speech and Language Therapists will work closely with the parents as well as setting/school staff to help identify targets and activities to develop the child’s speech, language and communication skills.

The level of support and frequency/location of visits may vary according to the needs of the child.

• Referral criteria/guidance and referral form
• Information leaflets for parents, practitioners, teachers and carers

 

Speech and Language Therapy	Contact Number
York	01904 726599

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists (OTs) work with children who have physical, neurological and sensory / perceptual problems. Their aim is to support and enable children to carry out the skills needed for everyday life and learning.

OTs will work closely with children, young people and their families to help them join in and succeed in activities that are important to them, to the best of their ability. These may include:

• Fine motor skills (such as writing and playing with small manipulative toys)
• Self care/Independence /life skills (such as dressing and feeding)
• Sensory skills (coping with everyday sensory experiences)

OTs work closely with local health and education and social care agencies to support all aspects of child /young person family life.

Occupational Therapy	Contact Number
York	01904 726599

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists work with children who have physical difficulties as a result of a neurological developmental or musculoskeletal problem.

A Physiotherapist will work closely with the children, young people and their families to formulate individual management programmes in order to achieve their maximum potential. These may include:

• Gross Motor Skills (running, jumping, climbing).
• Developmental support (mastering early skills such as rolling and crawling).
• Improving posture and positioning to enable maximum functional ability.
• Recommending appropriate equipment, aids and splints to support posture and function.

 

Physiotherapy	Contact Number
York	01904 726599

Dietetics

Dietitians help children and young people to understand the science about the food we eat and the nutrition it gives us to help us be healthy. They are also involved in the diagnosis and dietary treatment of disease.

Dietitians have a wide range of jobs including:

• working with people with special dietary needs
• informing the general public about nutrition
• offering advice about the food we eat
• managing diabetes
• evaluating and improving treatments
• educating patients/clients, other healthcare professionals and community groups promoting good healthy living
• kidney disease
• food allergies
• eating disorders
• diabetes
• weight management advice
• coeliac disease management
• Cystic fibrosis support
• Tube feeding

 

Dietetic	Contact Number
York	01904 726599