Wave Physiotherapy - Toronto

11/03/2024

As adults, when we’re not feeling our best, it’s common to feel tense, frustrated, sad, irritable, or even angry. It can be hard to figure out what’s needed in the moment to feel at ease and settled. The part of our nervous system that controls breathing, heart rate, digestion, temperature and our emotional state can be working in overdrive without us even being aware of it.

Imagine how much harder it is for your child!

You'll find tips on how to help your child regulate their nervous system while recovering from a vestibular disorder in the article below

https://www.wavephysiotherapy.ca/blog/nervous-system

09/22/2024

The most common cause of vertigo is a vestibular condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (or BPPV). Getting a diagnosis and treatment quickly helps to limit the impacts that this condition has on folks' physical and mental wellness.

If you're experiencing vertigo that lasts less than a minute that is brought on by rolling in bed, there's a good chance your symptoms are being caused by BPPV and that treatment with a vestibular therapist will help you feel much better.

You can read more about BPPV in my recently posted blog

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is the most common vestibular issue and one of the most debilitating. I cover what it is, what causes it, assessment and BPPV treatment, along with other most asked BPPV questions.

08/31/2024

Has your child been experiencing dizziness or trouble with their balance? Do they get tired quickly when they're reading or even have a hard time while they're at school?

It's possible your child is having trouble with their vestibular system. Read more about symptoms in children and what I think parents and guardians need to know about pediatric vestibular therapy.

https://www.wavephysiotherapy.ca/blog/vestibular-therapy-for-kids

Learn more about vestibular physiotherapy for children. If your child has dizziness, nausea, vertigo, balance issues, motion sensitivity or other signs of vestibular dysfunction, you'll want to read this article to have a better idea of how vestibular therapy can help.

12/23/2023

Wave Physiotherapy will be operating with the following holiday hours between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.

09/23/2023

As more kids are being diagnosed with vestibular disorders, data is showing that vestibular migraine & other paediatric migraine variants are the most common cause of vertigo & dizziness in kids.

Identifying children with migraine variants is important to making sure families get the right support. Lifestyle modifications, reassurance for the child & family, and (with frequent attacks) referral to a physician for recommendations about supplements & medication for medical management are key to helping these kids feel their best!

09/22/2023

Vestibular issues in children may show up in ways that differ from adults. Often kids don’t have the words to express how they are feeling. This can make it challenging to know when to look for help and the data shows many children just aren’t getting the help they need.

Here are five ways vestibular issues show in children:

1️⃣ Vertigo: Your child may be experiencing a feeling that they or their world is moving or spinning. Vertigo isn’t experienced by all children with vestibular issues.

Older kids may tell you about this feeling. Younger kids may hold onto you, refuse to stand up or even fall asleep.

2️⃣ Dizziness: Dizziness is a common complaint with vestibular system issues, but isn’t present in all children.

Older children may tell you they are woozy, feel lightheaded, or that the ground is moving under them when they are staying still or moving.

3️⃣ Balance Issues: Children with vestibular issues commonly have issues with their balance when they are still or moving.

Younger children may refuse to stand unsupported. Older children may be clumsy, fall often, or have poorer balance than their peers.

4️⃣ Motor Development Issues: Often children with vestibular issues will go through their developmental stages more slowly than other children their age do.

You may notice your child using other supports, like a wall or furniture, to help steady themselves. Smaller children may even completely refuse to walk.

5️⃣ Gaze Stability Issues: Children with vestibular issues often have trouble with keeping objects still in their vision or keeping their eyes on a target, especially when they are moving.

This can show up as trouble tracking a moving object, difficulties with reading, or blurry vision when their head is moving.

If this sounds like your child, speaking with a vestibular therapist about what’s going on can be a first step in getting your child the help they need.

09/21/2023

In a 2013 study by Cushing et al., 153 children with profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) were tested for vestibular impairment.

☑️ Vestibular dysfunction was identified in half of all children tested

☑️ Severe impairment (severe and/or bilateral loss) was found in 1/3 of the study population.

☑️Children with SNHL secondary to meningitis or cochleovestibular anomalies had the highest rate of severe dysfunction.

Prior research from this team (2009) with 40 of these kids showed that static and dynamic balance abilities were poorer than age-matched controls too.

If your child has SNHL include a vestibular therapist as part of your rehab team. Evaluation of children with SNHL for vestibular dysfunction allows them earlier access to vestibular rehabilitation can help to reduce falls, improve their function, and promote improved gaze stability.

09/20/2023

Why don’t kids with vestibular loss recover the way that adults do?

When a child is born with vestibular weakness or if they sustain an inner ear injury, they won’t recover the way that adults do. Often this happens when the insult happens before their teens. A child’s nervous system is still developing, and so their ability to take all of their sensory information (vestibular, visual, proprioceptive, hearing) to give an accurate representation of what’s happening hasn’t matured fully. Depending on what age this happens at, the child may show progressively worsening developmental delays relative to their peers normally developing and integrating systems.

This why getting kids the help they need is so important to promote recovery and improve their function!

09/17/2023

Why am I so passionate about helping kids with vestibular issues? Kids with balance issues & dizziness aren’t getting the care they could be.

A US-based population study showed that balance issues & dizziness were reported in 5.3% of children aged 3-17. Only 36% of these kids saw a healthcare professional and less than 30% received treatment. This is huge!!

If we use the same stats for Canadian kids: that’s the equivalent of 324,661 kids aged 3-17 across Canada having balance & dizziness issues (using 2021 Stats Canada population estimates).

Not sure if your child might benefit from a vestibular physiotherapy consultation? Reach out and we can speak more about what’s going on.

08/26/2023

The topic of things to consider when getting back to being social again has come up often this summer with the folks I work with.

Have you been thinking about what you'll need to do to spend more time with family and friends again? Read more in this article about managing gatherings with a vestibular disorder.

https://www.wavephysiotherapy.ca/blog/gatherings-vestibular-disorder

07/18/2023

Back pain is something most humans will experience at some point in their life. Figuring out how to manage back pain can be absolutely overwhelming. You can read more about my most shared tips for managing back pain in my most recent blog:

www.wavephysiotherapy.ca/blog/how-to-ease-lower-back-pain

05/27/2023

Figuring out how to approach screen time when you or your child are not feeling well can be incredibly challenging. Getting back onto screens again is another after having vestibular issues, as it means being able to get back to work, classes, and social time activities again.

Here are five ways you can help screen time to go more smoothly:

☑️ Manage blue light on your device

☑️ Have good lighting (or dim your screen)

☑️ Take regular breaks

☑️ Make text larger

☑️ Limit scrolling