Paediatric physiotherapists are crucial in Australia’s medical landscape, especially for our up-and-coming generation of children. They perform evaluations, create treatment plans, monitor patient progress, work closely with families and more.

We sat down with Ashley, a paediatric physiotherapist in Melbourne, to discuss the highs and lows of her profession.

Q: What do you love the most about your job?

A: Well, firstly, I absolutely love working with children. They are the funniest human beings, and their honesty is a breath of fresh air. I love the fact that I can help kids be kids by enabling them to get back to playing and doing their favourite activities. Secondly, I also enjoy working with their parents. It is empowering to know that you can teach parents to help their little ones at home which in turn makes them more confident parents.

Q: What has been one of the most rewarding moments of your career?

A: I was working with a 2-and-a-half-year-old patient who was born with a bunch of musculoskeletal issues. She was having trouble walking, and I remember the day she walked across the room slowly and shakily for the first time. Seeing that all the hard work had paid off was amazing.

Q: What are some of the lows of being a paediatric physiotherapist?

A: The parents! I know I previously said I love working with them, and I do. But at the same time, some parents can be challenging to work with. They are very protective of their children – of course – and want the best for them. But sometimes, that can make my job tricky if a parent thinks they know better.

Q: So how do you work with a one-year-old, for example, who can’t speak yet and doesn’t understand why they are there?

A: Good question! I love this part of the job because it requires me to be creative and playful. It obviously depends on the child’s age, but a lot of my sessions are play-based therapy. It keeps younger children engaged and makes it easier to do my job properly.

Q: What advice do you have for someone who is considering a career as a paediatric physio?

A: My advice is, believe it or not, many of the skills you use when treating adults as a physio are also mostly applicable to kids – they are just mini versions! A lot of physios I meet who want to be a paeds physio think you need to rush into specialising in paediatrics. You also need to consider how empathetic you are before entering this career. Children respond well to genuine empathy because children in general are fairly empathetic. Also, be prepared to keep up with the latest kids’ fads! This will help in your day-to-day work.

Q: What is the most important thing you learned during your career?

A: That children will try and do anything to please you. They are hard-wired to please and bless them; they are so sweet. For example, I may have a four-year-old come in who can’t walk properly. If I ask him to stand up, he will try and do so because he knows I am watching him. This is why, instead of asking him to stand up, I will first chat with him and his parents to find out what he loves doing. Once I find out that he loves balls, I will ask him to go and get one of his balls to show me because that is something he enjoys doing, and he will do it more naturally.