It’s common for children to feel uncomfortable around hospitals and medical settings.

In fact, a2018 survey found that almost half of all young children are afraid of going to see the doctor.  

This can sometimes make it challenging for parents to make sure their children get the medical advice and paediatric physiotherapy support that they need.

By understanding the reasons why children often feel uncomfortable visiting hospitals, you may be in a better position as a parent or carer to prevent or address their fears. This can make visits to the doctor or paediatric physiotherapist less stressful for all involved.

But for some children, delivering physiotherapy at home in a familiar environment has many advantages.

In this post, we’ll briefly look at some of the reasons why children feel uncomfortable in clinical settings, the benefits of receiving treatment at home, and some ideas for physiotherapy exercises that children and parents can practice together.

Why do so many children feel uncomfortable in hospitals and clinical settings?

As adults, we understand how important hospitals, doctors and physiotherapists are for helping us stay healthy and get better.

But kids don’t have that same life experience or understanding.

There are a lot of reasons why they feel uncomfortable or afraid, including:

• Association with pain

From a young child’s perspective, the only times they are likely to have visited the doctors or the hospital are when they have been ill, injured or received an injection.

When you take this into account, it’s understandable why they might make the association between hospitals and pain – even if the appointment is for a painless paediatric physiotherapy consultation. 

• Overhearing adults talking.

Young ears pick up a lot of information. 

When most adults talk about friends or family members going into hospital, it’s rarely a positive conversation. 

Without life experience or context, it’s easy for children to overhear conversations and make a negative association between hospitals and illness. 

They might then begin to believe that going into a hospital or clinic is not a ‘good’ thing. They don’t understand that physiotherapy is positive. 

• Lack of familiarity

Bright lights. Busy waiting rooms. Long corridors. People wearing face masks and gowns. Lots of equipment. 

From a child’s perspective, a hospital or busy clinic is very different to their usual surroundings. It can be overwhelming for some children that aren’t prepared for the unfamiliar environment.

If your child is uncomfortable or anxious about visiting a hospital or clinic, it may manifest in a number of different ways.

In the run-up to the appointment, children may become emotional and show signs of anxiety about their pending visit.

Their sleep pattern and appetite may be affected.

Some children may point-blank refuse to go to the hospital, which can create an incredibly difficult situation for parents.

During the appointment itself, children that feel uncomfortable or anxious may struggle to communicate their symptoms effectively, and they may be unwilling to comply with the requests of the people treating them.

There are certain techniques that parents might use to reassure their children and help them overcome their discomfort with hospitals:

• Talking openly about what is going to happen.

•  Prepare them for an unfamiliar environment with pictures of hospital settings.

• Reassure them that you will be there with them.

• Allow them to bring a toy or favourite blanket to the appointment.

But every child is different.

For many parents of children that feel uncomfortable visiting hospitals, arranging medical appointments or physiotherapy at home can have a lot of benefits.

What are the advantages of paediatric physiotherapy at home?

If your child is uncomfortable or scared of visiting the hospital and needs a physiotherapy appointment, consider home-based physiotherapy.

By providing paediatric physiotherapy consultations in the comfort of your own home, a physiotherapist can treat your child in a familiar and comfortable environment.

This can help to reduce the child's discomfort and anxiety, which can have a positive impact on their physical and emotional health and is also a lot easier for parents.

Additionally, when children feel safe and at ease, they are more likely to open up and communicate with their physiotherapist. This is obviously beneficial to reaching an accurate diagnosis more quickly and speeds up the implementation of an effective treatment plan.

When children feel comfortable and relaxed, they are more likely to participate in their treatment and therapy actively. This can often lead to better treatment outcomes and can help to develop a good relationship between the child and the physiotherapist.

Choosing physiotherapy at home has the additional benefit of you not having to travel. You are also often able to select an appointment time that fits around your schedule.

This additional flexibility makes it more likely that your child will be able to participate in regular physiotherapy sessions.

Common physiotherapy exercises that can be practiced by children and parents at home.

If you’re interested in physiotherapy at home, there are a variety of exercises that are commonly recommended in paediatric physiotherapy.

All of these exercises are collaborative and can be practiced together by both children and parents at home.

It's important to remember that every child's needs are unique, and the exercises that work best for one child may not be appropriate for another.

Before starting with any of these exercises, consult with a professional physiotherapist first to ensure that they are safe and appropriate. They can help to create a customised exercise plan that is tailored to your child.

Some examples of exercises that may be beneficial for children and parents include:

• Catch

A simple game of catch with a soft foam ball is not only fun – it’s a great way to develop your child’s gross motor skills.

This is a great exercise for children of all ages, as you can change the speed of your throw based on their abilities.

• Simon Says

This is a great fun game that can help your child develop an awareness of their body and complete simple physiotherapy exercises as part of a game.

For example, you might say “Simon Says…rotate your foot” if that is part of a treatment plan that has been agreed upon by your child’s physiotherapist.

• Traffic Lights

This is a great way to encourage your child to take exercise and build movement into their daily routine.

If you have enough space, you can encourage them to run from one end of the room to another when you say “green”, but they have to stop when you say “red”. When you say “amber” they have to jog lightly on the spot. 

If you’re short on space, you can have jogging on the spot as your “green” activity, and your child has to stop when you shout “red”.

• Dancing

Who doesn’t love a good dance? Put on some tunes and enjoy this fun and interactive way to develop your child’s cardiovascular fitness, coordination and gross motor skills.

•  Bubble Chasing

This is a great fun way to develop your child’s gross motor skills and balance. Have them try and track the movements of the bubbles, and pop them with different parts of their body.

• Animal Walking

Another great exercise for developing your child’s coordination, balance and motor skills. Have your child pretend to move like different animals – a snake slithering, a frog jumping, or a bear crawling. This can work a wide variety of muscles if you’re creative!

CK Physiotherapy: Specialists in Paediatric Physiotherapy At Home

At CK Physiotherapy, we have a team of licenced, chartered physiotherapists operating in the Ealing area.

Our team of experienced paediatric physiotherapists are dedicated to helping children achieve their full physical potential and improve their overall health and well-being.

We offer online consultations for the convenience of our young patients and their families.

Online consultations provide the same level of care and attention as in-person appointments, with the added benefit of being delivered in the comfort of your own home. This makes it ideal for children who are uncomfortable visiting a hospital or clinical setting.

During the online consultation, our physiotherapist will conduct an initial assessment of your child’s condition.

They will then provide a personalised treatment plan that may include exercises, stretches, and play-based techniques.

Our trained paediatric physiotherapist will also provide guidance and support to you and your child to help you understand the condition and manage it effectively.

Interested in paediatric physiotherapy at home?

 Reach out to our friendly team for an online consultation.

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