25 years ago I started my own Pediatric Physiotherapy practice. And there was and is a vision and a mission behind it.
Very quickly, working with children and their parents, I discovered that a request for help from a child and/or parent often requires more attention and time than is given by the rules. It requires looking and deciding together: what does this child with this challenge need from me in this situation to take a logical next developmental step?
As the challenge increases, so does the team involved in the child's development. Parents have always been the most important partners for me. They are the child's professionals, as professionals we can watch and think from our expertise.
What is the expertise within this practice?
By looking at a child where all areas of development are seen. And for the pediatric physiotherapist that is the mobility, the sensory information processing. But also a professional look at language and communication, contact and parents. This gives the opportunity to engage a speech therapist, psychologist or parent child professional in time.
Working in a team is especially important for young children. And the team also includes the daycare center, preschool and school. The KDC or home guidance. They do the work, and our job is to teach and think about strategies that help the child further in his development. To achieve this, the employees within the practice have further specialized, so that all facets of pediatric physiotherapy can be covered.
Floortime
In my development as a pediatric physiotherapist, I was regularly confronted with children with a request for help for which I did not yet have sufficient expertise. What did I need to optimally guide this child and his parents? And that resulted in me doing the Floortime DIR master's degree in Washington, USA. As if all the puzzle pieces fell into place.
This has meant that the pediatric physiotherapists and occupational therapists at this practice have all been taught the basics of Floortime DIR. And because I thought the added value of this method for our work with children was so important, I also started promoting the method in the Netherlands. As a result, children who require help in the area of different behavior and development are also very welcome to us.
Unique approach
It has made this practice unique: starting up early intervention groups for children aged 2 to 5, together with a speech therapist and often also a behavioral expert. Collaborating with external parties such as MOC 'Kabouterhuis, Nursing Daycare Zigzag Reade, various schools for special primary education, various primary schools for regular education.
And for all children: Every child has the potential to be a great kid. It is our job to make this potential grow!
At the end of 2022 I said goodbye to this wonderful practice as a pediatric physiotherapist. Our mission, all children and their parents with a request for help that could hinder their broad development are welcome. And our vision, that working with children by working in a team in which parents play a central role, gives optimal results, will be guaranteed in the future under the leadership of Lotte Stoltenborg and Renate Scholte. Lotte Stoltenborg and Renate Scholte.
