Child Physiotherapy in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is child physiotherapy referral?
Child physiotherapy referral is the pathway that starts with a pediatrician checking how your child moves and ends with a specialist pediatric physiotherapist who works with your child and family. A pediatric physiotherapist uses exercises, stretches, balance games and positioning advice to improve movement, strength and coordination.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, the pediatric team carries out the first part of this pathway. The pediatrician examines your child, finds out whether the concern is a normal variation, a condition that needs medical care, or a movement difficulty that physiotherapy can help, and then arranges referral to a pediatric physiotherapy service. Physiotherapy sessions take place with that specialist service, and your pediatrician here stays involved in your child's overall care.
Who needs it
Parents usually come with a question about how their child moves. Common reasons include:
- A baby who keeps the head tilted or turned to one side, or has a flat patch on one side of the head
- Late sitting, crawling or walking compared with other children
- Walking on tiptoes most of the time after the toddler stage
- Flat feet with pain, or in-toeing and out-toeing that worries you
- Clumsiness, frequent falls or difficulty with running, jumping or stairs
- Very flexible joints with pain after activity
- Recovery after a fracture or sports injury
- Long-term conditions that affect movement, such as cerebral palsy
A useful fact for parents: many babies develop a head tilt from lying in the same position, and this often improves with simple changes to positioning and plenty of supervised tummy time. A tilt that persists, or a baby who always turns one way, deserves a pediatric review, because a tight neck muscle responds well to early stretching guided by a physiotherapist.
What happens
Your pediatrician starts with your child's story: pregnancy and birth, when milestones were reached, any falls or pain, and how your child manages at home, nursery or school. The examination looks at posture, muscle tone, strength, joint range, reflexes and how your child sits, crawls, walks and runs. Your pediatrician watches your child play, because play shows movement more naturally than any formal test.
Where needed, tests help find the cause. These may include blood tests, a hip ultrasound in a young baby, or an X-ray, arranged through the children's imaging service. Bone and joint concerns can be reviewed alongside pediatric orthopedics, and injuries through sports injury treatment.
When physiotherapy will help, your pediatrician explains why, writes a referral letter with the findings, and gives you safe general activities to start at home, such as tummy time for babies, active play, and balance games. Your child then sees a pediatric physiotherapist at a specialist service, who designs a programme for your child. Follow-up with your pediatrician here checks progress and any medical questions.
Preparing for it
Bring your child's health records, vaccination card and any previous reports, scans or therapy letters, including those from another country. Short videos filmed at home are very helpful, for example of your child walking barefoot, running, climbing stairs or of a baby's usual head position.
Dress your child in comfortable clothes such as shorts and a T-shirt, and bring the shoes they usually wear, since shoe wear patterns tell the doctor a lot. Bring a favourite toy to encourage natural movement during the visit. Write down your main questions so nothing is forgotten.
Afterwards
You leave with an explanation of the findings, a plan, a referral where physiotherapy is advised, and a follow-up date. Home exercises work best when they become part of daily play rather than a chore, and progress usually comes step by step.
Contact the hospital if your child develops new pain, a limp that lasts, swelling of a joint, or if a skill they had seems to slip back. Seek urgent medical care or go to the emergency department if your child suddenly stops walking or bearing weight, develops new weakness in an arm or leg, or has a limp with fever, as these need prompt assessment. The children's emergency page explains when to go straight to hospital.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE health insurance plans cover pediatric consultations and the tests needed to find the cause of a movement concern. Physiotherapy sessions at a specialist service are often covered with a referral, but many plans limit the number of sessions or require pre-approval. Check your policy before therapy starts. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm consultation cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
Is child physiotherapy available at Dar Al Kamal Hospital?
Child physiotherapy sessions are provided by a specialist pediatric physiotherapy service that Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah refers you to. The hospital's pediatricians assess your child, arrange tests, write the referral and follow up your child's progress and overall health.
What are the risks and limits of physiotherapy for children?
Physiotherapy for children is very safe, with mild muscle soreness after new exercises being the most common effect. Its limit is that it treats movement and strength, not every underlying cause, so a medical assessment comes first. Progress depends on regular practice at home, and some conditions need long-term therapy.
My baby always turns their head one way. Should I worry?
A baby who always turns the head one way often has a positional preference or a tight neck muscle, and both usually respond well to positioning and stretching started early. A pediatrician checks the neck, head shape and hips, and arranges physiotherapy when needed.
When should I worry about late walking?
Children start walking across a wide age range, so late walking alone is often normal. A review is worthwhile if your child is well behind other milestones too, seems floppy or stiff, uses one side more than the other, or has lost skills they had before.
Is toe walking normal in toddlers?
Toe walking is common in toddlers learning to walk and often fades as walking matures. Toe walking that continues, happens all the time, or comes with tight calves, falls or speech and social concerns should be checked by a pediatrician.
Do flat feet need treatment?
Flat feet are normal in young children, because the arch develops as they grow. Treatment is considered when flat feet are painful, stiff, or affect only one foot. A pediatrician examines the feet and refers for physiotherapy or orthopedic review when needed.
Is child physiotherapy covered by insurance in the UAE?
Many UAE insurance plans cover child physiotherapy with a doctor's referral, but some limit the number of sessions or need pre-approval. Check your policy first. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help confirm consultation cover on 06 599 7777.
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