Infant Assessment and Therapy
What is Infant Assessment and Therapy?
The goal of Infant Assessment and Therapy is to further understand your child’s presentation and support them with any movement difficulty they are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing. This refers to age-appropriate assessments and a wide range of therapy interventions.
Early intervention is integral to helping your child achieve their best outcomes. At Developmental Therapies, we provide evidence-based and child-led interventions, focusing on family-centred and goal-directed care. We look forward to getting to know you and your child.
Who is Infant Assessment and Therapy for?
We provide infant assessment and therapy from birth onwards. This service is suitable for babies presenting with a range of conditions, including:
- Developmental Concerns: Developmental delay and normal variance.
- Pre-term Support: Pre-term follow-up. read more
- Musculoskeletal Conditions: Plagiocephaly, Torticollis, and Positional Talipes Equinovarus and Calcaneovalgus.
What Does the Service Involve?
Infant assessment and therapy is a collaborative process designed to give your baby the best start. Your physiotherapist will provide feedback after assessing your baby and work with you to come up with a guide of how much intervention they will require going forward.
Standardised assessments are a part of this and we use tools such as:
Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS)
The AIMS is a standardised observational examination tool used to assess the maturation of gross motor skills of infants from term (i.e. 40 weeks gestation) to 18 months post-term. The AIMS was developed as a reference guide for the development of infants based on age related norms. It can be used as a screening tool to detect and track early developmental delays.It compares a child’s level of motor development against the expected norms for their age in four categories: prone, supine, sitting and standing.
Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE)
The HINE can be used to assess infants from two to 24 months. The assessment is performed in the clinic, where your physiotherapist will run through several standardised items. This will later be scored, and feedback will be provided. The HINE is recommended for early detection of infants at high risk of Cerebral Palsy.
We can re-assess your baby over time to help you understand their development and ongoing needs.
You will be provided with an individualised home exercise program. Sometimes, it can take a few sessions to see how your baby progresses over time to form a comprehensive picture of what is underlying their presentation.
Ongoing Therapy and Collaboration
We will continue to evaluate your baby’s progress and adjust therapy interventions along the way. We liaise closely with other members of your baby’s support team, including their GP, paediatrician, and other members of their Allied Health Team. This collaboration and communication, which can include report writing, case conferences, and emails, ensure we reach the best outcomes for your child. This can also assist your medical team in helping to determine if a diagnosis of specific developmental conditions is required or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is early intervention important?
A: Early intervention is integral to helping your child achieve their best possible outcomes, as the body is most adaptable in the early months of life.
Q: How soon after birth can my baby be assessed?
A: We provide infant assessment and therapy from birth onwards, making it suitable for newborns and older infants.
Q: Will I be involved in the therapy?
A: Absolutely. We focus on family-centred intervention. You will be provided with an individualised home exercise program and play a crucial role in your baby’s therapy journey.
How to make an appointment
- Call us on 0422 229 971 or fill in the enquiry form below.
- Our team will arrange an initial chat.
- We’ll book your first session and welcome your child to Developmental Therapies
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Our Location
Suite 1/66 Jessica Boulevard
MINYAMA QLD 4575
(In shared rooms with Orthotic Solutions)
Open Hours
Monday 9am – 5pm
Tuesday 9am – 5pm
Wednesday 8am – 5pm
Thursday 8am – 5pm
Friday 8am – 12noon