October 02, 2018

Volume 30, Issue 4

44 minutes

1. Physical Therapy Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis: A 2018 Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline from the American Physical Therapy Association Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy

AUTHORS: Sandra L. Kaplan, Colleen Coulter and Barbara Sargent

(https://journals.lww.com/pedpt/Fulltext/2018/07000/Informing_the_Update_to_the_Physical_Therapy.2.aspx)

This update of the 2013 CMT clinical practice guideline informs clinicians and families as to whom to monitor, treat, and/or refer, and when and what to treat. It links 17 action statements with explicit levels of evidence and expert opinion to implementation recommendations. Pediatric Physical Therapy journal Editor-in-Chief Linda Fetters PhD PT FAPTA of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, reviews the guideline and pinpoints key clinical messages.

2. Effects of a gaming platform on balance training for children with cerebral palsy
(Pediatr Phys Ther 2018;00:1–6)

Hsieh, Hsieh-Chun, PhD, OTR, Department of Special Education, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan talks about her study using a platform requiring multi-dimensional trunk movement that facilitated postural balance in children with cerebral palsy.

3. Physical Therapist Coaching to Improve Physical Activity in Children with Brain Tumors: A Pilot Study

(Pediatr Phys Ther 2018;0:1–8)

Jessica Ovans PT DPT, Physical Therapist, Department of Rehabilitation, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis discusses the use of a fitness tracker intervention combined with tailored coaching by a physical therapist to increase physical activity and quality of life and decrease fatigue in children with brain tumors.

4. Physical therapists’ use and alteration of standardized assessments of motor function in children.

(Pediatr Phys Ther 2018;0:1–8)

Deanne Fay, PT, DPT, PhD, Professor & Director of Curriculum, Physical Therapy Program, AT Still University, Mesa, Arizona reports on how physical therapists in the real world are assessing motor function in children with disability. This study presents survey responses of pediatric physical therapists’ use and alteration of standardized assessments of motor function in children aged 2-10 years.

5. Adapted Motivational Interviewing to Promote Exercise in Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease: A Pilot Trial

(Pediatr Phys Ther 2018;0:1–9)

Adam McKillop PhD, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada, describes his study to assess a motivational interviewing intervention to improve moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in adolescents with congenital heart disease. Although their standard approach using telephone calls was achievable and accepted he expects electronic methods and social media to beckon in the future—especially with young patients.

6. The Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (Tdcs) on Motor Function, in Pediatric Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review

(Pediatr Phys Ther 2018;00:1–11)

A bold approach to therapy for children with cerebral palsy that uses transcranial electrical stimulation has analyzed findings from nine published articles. First author Angela Hamilton, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia explains how determining the effects of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) on motor function for children with cerebral palsy could help their brains develop.

7. Stepping activity in children with congenital myotonic dystrophy

(Pediatr Phys Ther 2018;00:1–5)

Heather A. Hayes, DPT, PhD NCS, Utah Neurological Physical Therapy Residency Director and Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, Salt Lake City discusses her observational research on therapy for the rare condition congenital myotonic dystrophy (CDM) and explains how their investigation of physical activity levels in children who have CDM could determine whether clinical and functional characteristics correlate to physical activity and help find keys to improving activity levels and quality of life.

8. Whole-body vibration training designed to improve functional impairments after pediatric inpatient anticancer therapy: pilot study

(Pediatr Phys Ther 2018;00:1–9)

A new form of physical therapy called whole body vibration has been investigated as a way of helping children to recover good physical activity after treatment for cancer. Vanessa Oschwald (née Rustler) MA, Molecular & Cellular Sports Medicine Department, Sports and Exercise Science Department, Institute of Cardiovascular Research & Sports Medicine, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany talks about the way functional, motor, balance and strength impairments children after inpatient anticancer therapy were assessed after training on a platform that vibrates. Feasibility, adherence, program acceptance and fields of effectiveness were assessed.

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