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General Info
Diagnosis
Intervention
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General information
Article provided by Joyce Malia, PT, PCS, Board
Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist
The pediatric physical therapist works with children of all ages and
their families in helping the child to achieve functional movement
following an injury or a disability. Pediatric physical therapists
may work in a variety of settings: in hospitals, outpatient clinics,
rehabilitation centers, schools, infant programs, in homes and in
private practice and other community settings.
Originally pediatric physical therapy emphasized orthopedic
approaches in the treatment of children with polio. The children with
polio received therapy to help alleviate pain, to increase
flexibility of muscles and joints, and to help improve their motor
skills and functional mobility.
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Diagnosis
The scope of practice expanded to include the treatment of children
with neurological disorders, such as, cerebral palsy and other brain
injuries. Today the pediatric physical therapist may be involved with
treating premature infants in a neonatal intensive care unit,
providing aquatic therapy in a pool for childen with muscle disease,
screening for postural problems in school-aged children, or provide
sports training or conditioning for the young athlete.
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Intervention
If a family, a physician, or another health or educational
professional is concerned that a child has gross motor delays (large
body movements, such as sitting, walking, etc.) then a referral to a
pediatric physical therapist may be indicated. The PT will assess or
evaluate such areas as the child's joint flexibility, posture,
endurance, balance, coordination, muscle strength, muscle tone, motor
control, functional movement, motor planning, and positioning and
equipment needs and determine if the child would benefit from
physical therapy services to help alleviate a motor problem. The
physical therapist would discuss the outcomes of the evaluation with
the family and the child and recommend a treatment plan to include
the methods, duration, and frequency of treatment.
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