Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) therapists
Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Psychologists work with our team.
Physiotherapists
For more about the role of Children's Physiotherapists please see:
We see children in a wide range of settings. If they are inpatients we may see them in the Children's Critical Care Unit or on a ward in Oxford Children's Hospital. We may see them at their bedside, or bring them to our gym or treatment room in a wheelchair.
We look at any changes that may have occurred in a child's movements, and see if new activities are appropriate to help their posture and balance.
Sometimes we use equipment such as walking aids or balance trainers to help patients develop their skills. We also work with orthotists if we feel that splints for standing or walking would be beneficial. If you already use any walking aids or splints please bring them to hospital with you.
Occupational Therapists
For more about the role of Children's Occupational Therapists please see:
Our job is to work with children and young people to help them find solutions to things which are difficult. This might be playing a musical instrument, cooking, playing games with their friends, attending school or managing tiredness.
Solutions might involve teaching the child, or their parents or carers, new skills, or adapting their environment.
We can help with planning to come into hospital, and planning to go home - thinking through the home environment and returning to school.
We see patients at the Pre-operative Assessment Clinic and also in hospital after their operation. Sometimes we use a clinic room, gym or specialist suite, which has a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, to practise the skills patients will need at home.
Psychologists
For more about the role of Children's Psychologists please see:
The British Psychological Society - www.bps.org.uk
Sometimes members of the AIS team ask us to see a patient because they believe we can help with their overall care.
We see our patients and their parents or carers both individually and together. We discuss everything from the impact of the condition to family life, school and friends. There is no examination.
Usually we talk about a patient's care both with our team and with their parents or carers after we have seen them, but sometimes there are concerns which the patient does not want us to discuss.
We have strict rules about confidentiality, and we can keep some things quiet if that is what the patient wants. However, in line with the Children Act, we must break confidentiality if keeping something confidential would cause serious harm to a patient or anyone else.
We work together to look at things from a fresh point of view, and explore new ways of coping with unhappy feelings and solving practical problems. We often give our patients tasks to do before we meet again.