PTA 209 - Fundamentals of Pediatric Rehabilitation

1. Discuss the role of adaptive equipment as an adjunct to direct physical therapy in treating children with physical impairments.
   1. Discuss a child’s equipment needs for home or school.
   2. Discuss how to select and secure purchase of equipment for home and school, including assessment of available physical space.
   3. Discuss the importance of proper positioning for the child in the classroom to promote optimal function.
   4. Identify precautions when using adaptive equipment.
   5. Compare and contrast the equipment needs of a child based on the child’s age and functional ability.
2. Justify selection of a pediatric physical therapy intervention using principles of handling and strengthening.
   1. Examine a variety of techniques and positions to use with a child who lacks head control.
   2. Examine a variety of techniques and positions to use with a child who lacks trunk control.
   3. Compare and contrast key points of control to use with a child to facilitate movement.
   4. Discuss the importance for a child with a disability to learn through exploring the environment.
3. Examine various topics of physical therapy that affect children in the general and educational environment.
   1. Discuss direct and indirect delivery of physical therapy services as well as program development in the school system.
   2. Discuss the documentation required when working with children in the school system including the IEP.
   3. Compare the differences of the educational model versus the medical model of physical therapy care.
   4. Identify legislation that affects delivery of physical therapy services to students in the school.
   5. Examine current issues in the health care field that directly relate to children and therapy services.
   6. Discuss other health care team members involved in a child’s therapy that the PTA may work with and the role each member plays.
4. Examine the psychosocial components involved with pediatric physical therapy.
   1. Select appropriate communication methods to use with children with disabilities.
   2. Review the signs and symptoms of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse as it relates to a child.
   3. Compare different approaches to managing a child’s emotions/behavior during a physical therapy session.
5. Provide examples of parent reactions to finding out their child has a disability.
   1. Discuss the various emotional aspects of being a parent of a disabled child including denial, frustration, and anger.
   2. Realize the parents’ fears in the parent-therapist relationship.
   3. Recognize the important and delicate role of the therapist in the parent-therapist relationship.
   4. Compare overprotection, over expectation, and under expectation in relation to a child with a disability.
6. Discuss various treatment activities utilized with children with neurological and orthopedic disorders in accordance with the plan of care developed by the supervising physical therapist.
   1. Discuss the importance of the relationship of cognitive development to gross motor development in regards to realistic functional outcomes of goals.
   2. Discuss the role of sensory integration therapy in enhancing motor and cognitive function in children with neurological dysfunction.
   3. Examine the concept of therapeutic play.
   4. Compare the benefits and challenges of play.
   5. Identify play strategies for children from birth to adolescence.
   6. Define and discuss pediatric interventions including:
      1. constraint-induced movement therapy
      2. serial casting
      3. body weight support treadmill training
      4. LE orthotics
      5. Thera-Togs
      6. FES/NMES
      7. hippotherapy
      8. NDT
      9. aquatics
      10. botox
      11. baclofen pumps
      12. neurosurgical management
      13. orthopedic management
7. Discuss potential legal or ethical issues pertaining to pediatric rehabilitation.
   1. Describe an appropriate response to each legal/ethical clinical issues discussed in class.