Bobath Scotland

Child receiving therapy

About Bobath Scotland

More than 600 children from the length and breadth of Scotland have attended the Bobath Scotland Children’s Therapy Centre in Glasgow. No charges are passed on to the families.

We offer a specialist knowledge base to analyse the child’s skills and suggest ways of enhancing their abilities.

Everyone involved in the care and development of each child is invited to therapy sessions - including parents and siblings, local therapists, teachers and nursery assistants - ensuring the aims for each child are co-ordinated and realistic to their own environments.

We also offer short courses to all groups involved with children with cerebral palsy aiming to promote an understanding of the condition and what can realistically be achieved using the Bobath approach.

About Cerebral Palsy

Every six hours, a child is born who will be diagnosed with cerebral palsy: a permanent, incurable disorder affecting posture and movement. Any pregnant woman could have a child with cerebral palsy, as there’s no test to identify an ‘at risk’ group.

One in every 500 children has cerebral palsy which results from brain damage occurring during birth or in the first two years of life.

Cerebral palsy takes many forms, but invariably results in restricted movement due to muscles being too stiff or too floppy. This affects the development of skills such as using hands for play, communicating and walking.

About the Bobath Approach

The Bobath approach was developed by Dr Karel Bobath and Mrs Berta Bobath in the 1950s.

Bobath therapy explores ways of encouraging more natural movement patterns that can be integrated into everyday life. The Bobath approach recognises that each child is an individual and that therapy requires to be tailored for each child. It is not a rigid regime of exercises.

The Bobath holistic concept involves a trans-disciplinary approach involving occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy.