A physiotherapist exercising with a baby on a large blue ball by wall bars at the clinic in Banská Bystrica

HARMONY kids

Physiotherapy from birth and a development centre in Banská Bystrica

Expert paediatric physiotherapy and a development centre for children's motor, cognitive and speech skills

We combine expert paediatric physiotherapy with a modern approach to developing movement, thinking and speech, so that every child can grow up healthy and happy.

Book an appointment Physiotherapy clinic

Individual approach
15+ years of experience
Hundreds of happy children and parents
Expertise and experience
A pleasant setting in Banská Bystrica
For children from birth
Online consultations from the comfort of home

Why choose us?

Mgr. Katarína Otto Žabková, physiotherapist

Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University Bratislava

More than 15 years of experience

working with children from birth

Individual approach

to every child and their family

Modern diagnostics

and expert therapeutic methods

Therapy linked with

development of movement, cognition and speech

Parent education

and support at home and between sessions

Physiotherapy clinic

Physiotherapy from birth through adolescence

Expert care focused on overall motor development, prevention, therapy and support for healthy movement at every step of a child's growth.

A physiotherapist exercising with a baby and a ball on a yellow couch

Foot examination on the Podo4Foot podoscope

We help children with

Asymmetry and favouring one side

Assessment and therapy for favouring one side of the body, tilting the head or rotating the trunk.

Plagiocephaly (flattened head)

Assessment and therapy of head asymmetry, correct positioning and targeted stimulation.

Delayed psychomotor development

Support for delayed motor milestones: rolling, crawling, creeping on all fours, walking and more.

Premature babies

Individual care that respects the corrected age and the specific needs of the child.

Correct handling

Training in correct carrying, lifting, positioning, changing, feeding and everyday care of the baby.

Poor posture and scoliosis

Posture assessment, scoliosis diagnosis and therapy aimed at correction and preventing it from getting worse.

Flat feet and children's feet

Foot examination with a podoscope, therapy for flat feet and valgus ankles, and advice on suitable footwear.

Sports strain and pain

Prevention and therapy of injuries, overload, and joint, muscle and back pain in active children and young athletes.

Movement and coordination difficulties

Developing balance, coordination, stability and correct movement patterns through play and targeted therapy.

Abdominal muscle separation (diastasis)

Assessment and exercises to strengthen the core and restore the function of the deep stabilising system.

Our philosophy

Every child is unique.

We approach each one individually, with understanding, expertise and love.

Why choose our clinic

Expert approach
More than 15 years of experience
Individual therapy plan
Modern diagnostics (podoscopy)
A respectful and caring approach

Development centre

We support every child's potential.

We focus on comprehensive assessment and support of children's motor, cognitive, communication and socio-emotional development, from birth through adolescence. Our work is based on expert knowledge of developmental assessment, including the principles of evaluating and interpreting the Bayley Scales, which lets us support each child's individual potential in a more targeted way.

Our values

Individual approach
A playful and stimulating environment
Expertise and experience
Cooperation with parents

A physiotherapist playing with a child using cones and rings on a blue mat

A physiotherapist exercising with a baby on a yellow couch

Every child is unique.

We approach each one individually, with understanding, expertise and love.

What we focus on

Assessment of attention, focus and concentration

We assess the child's ability to hold attention, focus on an activity and work with information appropriate for their age.

Assessment and support of speech and communication development

We help with:

delayed speech development
speech and pronunciation disorders
speech comprehension
vocabulary development
communication support

Assessment of social interaction and cooperation

We observe the ability to make contact, cooperate, play and understand social situations.

Assessment of sensory perception and sensory processing

We assess how the child receives, processes and responds to stimuli from the surroundings and from their own body.

Developing cognitive skills

We develop:

memory
attention
logical thinking
perception
problem solving

Developing executive functions

We support:

planning
organisation
self-regulation
flexible thinking

Developing gross and fine motor skills

We support the movement skills that underpin everyday activities, play and learning.

Coordination, balance and motor planning

Exercises aimed at better movement coordination, stability, spatial orientation and motor planning.

Learning through play and individual stimulation programmes

We use games and activities that naturally develop the child's abilities and motivate them to make progress.

Education and advice for parents

We support you on the way to understanding your child's needs. We will show you how you can support them at home too.

Together we create the conditions in which your child can grow, handle challenges and enjoy discovering.

Why choose us

Expert assessment
Individual development plan
A sensitive and caring approach
Modern methods and aids
A safe and stimulating environment

More services

Comprehensive care for the whole family

Bayley III assessment

Comprehensive assessment of the child's development from birth

Bayley Scales are internationally used standardised tools for assessing early child development.

They comprehensively assess:

cognitive skills
communication
fine motor skills
gross motor skills
and, where needed, socio-emotional development
adaptive behaviour

The assessment helps to:

determine the child's current developmental level
identify their strengths
detect any weaknesses or delays

The findings make it possible to set up targeted support for the child's psychomotor and overall development.

A stand-alone assessment using this scale costs 80 €, see the price list for details.

Adult physiotherapy

Individual physiotherapy aimed at relieving pain, restoring correct movement and improving quality of life.

We provide:

musculoskeletal assessment
treatment of spine and joint pain
rehabilitation after injuries and surgery
posture correction
functional therapy of muscles and joints
an individual therapy plan
prevention of pain and overload
sports physiotherapy
kinesiology taping
education in correct movement habits

A physiotherapist exercising with a client on a balance mat by wall bars

Hydrokinesiotherapy for children

Expert therapeutic exercise in water that supports the child's correct motor development and makes use of the beneficial effects of the water environment.

It is suitable for:

delayed psychomotor development
posture problems
muscle weakness or increased muscle tension
neurological and orthopaedic diagnoses
coordination and balance problems
recovery after injuries or surgery
the need for gentle strengthening of the musculoskeletal system
support for correct movement patterns

Water naturally relieves the musculoskeletal system, makes movements easier to perform, supports muscle activity and coordination, and gives children the joy of movement.

Workshops for parents

Practical sessions focused on supporting a child's healthy development from birth.

Workshop topics:

correct handling of the baby
support of psychomotor development
stimulation of motor development
prevention of asymmetries and deformities
choosing suitable aids
games that support development
developing motor skills, coordination and sensory perception
time for questions and individual advice

Online physiotherapy consultations

Expert advice from the comfort of your home. The consultation suits parents who need guidance, a check of their child's motor development or a recommendation for next steps.

An online consultation includes:

review of a video or photo
expert assessment of motor development
recommendation for next steps
tailor-made exercises and activities
adjustment of handling technique
answers to parents' questions
checking how home exercise is going

Also suitable as a follow-up check or a second expert opinion.

Swimming for children

Movement in water from 6 weeks old

Swimming for children from 6 weeks to 6 years old. Our methodology draws on physiotherapy concepts.

from 6 weeks
to 6 years
physiotherapy concepts

More about swimming at babyclubzabka.sk

A pool with colourful foam toys and flippers

A baby on their tummy in the water while swimming, a toy with a shower in the background

A baby in the water held by an adult, a yellow bathroom wall in the background

A little girl in a swimming cap at the pool edge

Prices

Expert physiotherapy

For children from birth through adolescence. We thoroughly assess development, find the cause of the problem and set up effective therapy tailored to your child's needs.

Basic initial assessment

40 min. | 40 €

Assessment of psychomotor development
Quality of movement patterns and posture
Muscle tone, coordination and basic reflexes
Consultation with parents
Explanation of results and recommendations to support correct development

Extended initial assessment

50 min. | 50 €

Detailed functional assessment of psychomotor development
Podoscope (Podo4Foot) imaging examination for older children
Evaluation of primitive reflexes
Assessment of cognitive skills
Evaluation of sensory perception
Analysis of movement patterns, muscle tone, coordination and posture
Detailed consultation with parents
Preparation of an individual therapy plan
Recommendations for home stimulation and proposed next steps

Follow-up assessment

30 to 40 min. | 37 €

Review of the course of therapy and progress made
Repeat evaluation of psychomotor development
Check of movement patterns, muscle tone and posture
Adjustment of the therapy plan to the child's current needs
Practice and checking of correct execution of the recommended exercises
Consultation with parents and recommendations for next steps

Online consultation

Price by arrangement

Consultation on the child's development
Evaluation of current difficulties
Recommendations and guidance for parents
Suitable as a supplement to therapy or for questions between visits

Stand-alone Bayley III assessment

80 €

Every child is unique. Every step in their development matters.

Why choose us

Individual approach
Expertise and experience
Cooperation with parents
Comprehensive care

About us

Expertise, experience and an individual approach

Mgr. Katarína Otto Žabková, physiotherapist

My name is Mgr. Katarína Otto Žabková and I am a physiotherapist.

In my work I focus mainly on children from birth through adolescence, their overall motor, cognitive and psychomotor development, and the support of their health.

I see each client as an individual and approach everyone holistically, with an emphasis on thorough assessment, effective therapy and cooperation with the family.

My practice is aimed mainly at child clients, and I also work in comprehensive women's physiotherapy.

I am the owner of the private children's swimming club BABY CLUB ŽABKA, whose methodology uses various physiotherapy concepts aimed at improving children's motor programmes at each stage of development.

With my individual approach I try to explain the nature of the diagnosed problem clearly and then create a suitable therapy plan.

From birth
Holistic development
Individual approach

Education

Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava. I keep training regularly so that I can bring the latest knowledge and methods into my practice.

2008I attended an educational hippotherapy course for physiotherapists.
2009Graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, physiotherapy programme, with the academic title Mgr.
2009Hippotherapy, SZU Bratislava.
2010Certified Babyfit course, movement education for preschool children, in Bratislava.
2010 and 2011Training programme at the MŠMT-accredited workplace of Eva Kiedroňová in Prague, where I obtained a qualification certificate as an "Instructor of swimming for infants, toddlers and preschoolers".
Since 2011I work at BABY CLUB ŽABKA in Banská Bystrica at Fončorda. I am the owner of the centre and my role includes the professional training of staff. I make sure that all exercises and handling techniques are in line with the principles of the child's age-appropriate psychomotor development.
2016Physiotherapy training by General Movements Trust, qualitative assessment of the basic movements of newborns. Prenatal and postnatal evaluation of the integrity of the nervous system.
March 2017Professional course on assessment and kinesiotherapy in idiopathic scoliosis in children and adults.
October 2017New knowledge from a postgraduate course in neurorehabilitation at the ADELI centre, in cooperation with the Slovak Chamber of Physiotherapists.
June 2018Course on kinesiological assessment in early childhood.
March 2022Bratislava Postgraduate Days of Paediatric Neurology.
April 2022A very interesting course in paediatric physiotherapy.
May 2022Professional course on Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilisation according to Kolář, a concept based on developmental kinesiology.
November 2022Paediatric conference with international participation in Martin.
May 2023Training event on the podoscope, examination and clinical interpretation.
2024I expanded my knowledge of using handling as therapy.
Since 2024Enrolled in the study of reflex locomotion according to V. Vojta.
2026Bayley III developmental scale (administration, scoring, interpretation).

Courses and professional training

DNS Kids, dynamic neuromuscular stabilisation for children
Reflex locomotion according to Vojta, assessment and therapy (certification in progress)
Handling as therapy
General Movements Assessment (GMs), assessment of infants' spontaneous motor activity according to Prechtl
Examination and clinical interpretation of the podoscope (Podo4Foot)
Assessment and kinesiotherapy of idiopathic scoliosis in children and adults
Hippotherapy, SZU Bratislava, 2009
The method of Ľudmila Čápová
Pilates in women's physiotherapy
Instructor of baby and children's swimming
Bayley III developmental scale (administration, scoring, interpretation), 2026

Professional development

I regularly attend neurology and paediatric congresses, seminars and workshops in paediatric physiotherapy, neurology, orthopaedics and developmental kinesiology. Through continuous professional training at various courses and conferences I gain new knowledge that I can apply in practice.

Every child is unique. Every step matters.

Why choose us?

Expertise and experience

More than 15 years of experience and continuous professional training.

A focus on overall development

Support for children's motor, cognitive, communication and psychomotor skills.

Individual approach

Therapy tailored to the needs of the child and the whole family.

Cooperation with parents

Parents are an important part of the therapy process.

A safe and friendly environment

A space where children feel good and can progress at their own pace.

My goal is to help children grow up healthy, develop their potential and build a solid foundation for an active life without limitations.

Gallery

From practice and the clinic

Children in the clinic space with a rope and balls

A rope and colourful balls on the clinic floor

A baby on a blue mat with a colourful toy by wall bars

A physiotherapist with a baby on a large blue ball

A physiotherapist examining a baby on a yellow couch

A physiotherapist examining a newborn on a blue mat

A physiotherapist with a baby on a yellow couch with toys

A girl exercising with a ball on a mat with bumps

A young woman exercising on a balance mat by wall bars

A physiotherapist examining feet on the podoscope

Facilities

Where to find us

A clinic room with a couch, a blue mat and wall bars

Wall bars with a large blue ball and the clinic in the background

An exercise course made of foam blocks and mats with bumps

A space with a play corner, yellow walls and tables

A space with red chairs and a play corner

A play set with a slide and tables with red chairs

Two cups of coffee on a table at the centre

Contact

Mgr. Katarína Otto Žabková

You can book an appointment by phone, by SMS or by email. If I do not pick up the phone, I am with a patient. Please send me an SMS or an email and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Clinic address

Internátna 24
974 04 Banská Bystrica

Show on map

Phone

0917 596 719

For booking I prefer SMS.

E-mail

harmonykidsfyzio@gmail.com

Instagram · Facebook

Have questions? I am happy to help.

Book an appointment by SMS