Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Paediatric Physiotherapy

Paediatric Physiotherapy
3
10239
4
First semester
op
Physiotherapy in clinical specialties
Optativas de especialización
Main language of instruction: Spanish

Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English,

Teaching staff


Mrs. FERRÓN CARBONELL, Marta - martafc18@uic.es

The faculty will attend to all students who request it by e-mail.

Sra. Marta Ferrón Carbonell (titular)

martafc18@uic.es

Dr. Márcio Donadio

mdonadio@uic.es

 

Introduction

Pediatric physical therapy is the area of physical therapy concerned with the assessment, treatment, support, and care of infants, children, and adolescents who present with developmental or movement-related difficulties, whether congenital or acquired, or who are at risk of developing them.

The population that may benefit from pediatric physical therapy is broad and includes children and adolescents (0-18 years) with neurological, neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, genetic, or other health conditions.

Pediatric physical therapy assessment and intervention should consider not only body functions and structures, but also activities, participation, and environmental factors that influence the child’s functioning. In this context, the family and the child’s environment play an important role in goal setting and throughout the intervention process.

Pediatric physical therapists carry out a comprehensive assessment of the child and their environment, establish goals jointly with the child and family, and develop interventions aimed at promoting movement, functioning, activity, and participation.

Pediatric physical therapists may work in hospital and primary care services, early childhood development and early intervention centers, schools, specialized centers and clinics, associations, and other settings related to the daily life, health, and participation of children and adolescents.

Pre-course requirements

Not established.

Objectives

 

  1. To understand the specific characteristics of Pediatric Physical Therapy, the roles of the pediatric physical therapist, and the main areas of practice from birth through adolescence.
  2. To understand the main conceptual frameworks that guide current Pediatric Physical Therapy practice, incorporating the principles of the ICF, the F-words, and evidence-based practice.
  3. To understand the foundations of prenatal and postnatal development of the nervous and cardiorespiratory systems relevant to pediatric physical therapy practice.
  4. To understand typical child development, its variability, and the main risk factors and warning signs associated with developmental disorders.
  5. To identify and select the main assessment tools, scales, and procedures used in Pediatric Physical Therapy according to age, health condition, and assessment purpose.
  6. To understand the principles of Early Intervention and family-centered practices, as well as the main clinical conditions commonly encountered in early childhood.
  7. To understand the main cardiorespiratory conditions affecting the pediatric population and the principles of their physical therapy assessment and intervention.
  8. To understand the characteristics of cerebral palsy, the main functional classification and assessment systems, and the principles of physical therapy intervention.
  9. To plan individualized physical therapy interventions aimed at promoting functioning, activity, participation, and an active lifestyle, taking into account the abilities and needs of the child or adolescent, their family, and the different contexts of daily life.
  10. To develop basic communication and therapeutic education skills with children, adolescents, families, and caregivers, and to understand the importance of coordinated work with other professionals.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • 01 - Have the ability to analyze and synthesize.
  • 02 - The ability to organize and plan.
  • 09 - Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
  • 10 - Develop autonomous learning skills.
  • 12 - To be creative.
  • 15 - Demonstrate a concern for quality.
  • 18 - Demonstrate a patient-centered approach by showing respect for the central role of the individual and his/her needs in decision-making.
  • 21 - Knowledge of the physiological and structural changes that can occur after physiotherapeutic interventions.
  • 28.3 - Show respect, appreciation and sensitivity towards the work of others.
  • 29.1 - Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing learning and self-improvement.
  • 30.1 - Teamwork skills.
  • 37.4 - Adhere to professional competencies and standards in health care.
  • 37.5 - Knowledge of the profession's deontological ethics codes.
  • 43 - Knowledge of physiotherapeutic procedures based on techniques and methods specific to physiotherapy interventions applied to the various disorders of all systems and medical and surgical specialisations, as well as health promotion and disease prevention.
  • 49 - The ability to design a physiotherapy treatment plan.
  • 53 - The capacity to participate within the areas of health promotion and disease prevention.

Learning outcomes of the subject

The student:

  1. Identifies the main areas of practice and the roles of the pediatric physiotherapist throughout childhood and adolescence.
  2. Explains the principles of the main models and conceptual frameworks applicable to Pediatric Physiotherapy, including the ICF, the F-words, and evidence-based practice.
  3. Describes the foundations of the development and maturation of the nervous and cardiorespiratory systems relevant to pediatric physiotherapy practice.
  4. Identifies the characteristics of typical child development, its variability, and the main risk factors and warning signs associated with developmental disorders.
  5. Selects appropriate assessment tools, scales, and procedures based on the child’s age, health condition, and the purpose of the assessment.
  6. Analyzes the child’s abilities, limitations, activity, and participation, taking into account the personal and environmental factors that influence functioning.
  7. Applies the principles of Early Intervention and family-centered practices to the management of common clinical conditions in early childhood, establishing functional goals and intervention strategies adapted to the child’s routines and environments.
  8. Identifies the main pediatric cardiorespiratory conditions and selects the corresponding basic principles of physiotherapy assessment and intervention.
  9. Analyzes the main characteristics of cerebral palsy and uses functional classification and assessment systems to guide physiotherapy management.
  10. Adapts physiotherapy management to the different life contexts of children and adolescents, integrating functioning, activity, participation, and the promotion of an active lifestyle, and communicates information and recommendations appropriately to children, adolescents, families, and other professionals. 

Syllabus

  • Foundations of Pediatric Physiotherapy and neurodevelopment. Main areas of practice, models and conceptual frameworks, ICF, F-words, nervous system maturation, plasticity, and motor learning.
  • Intrauterine respiratory and cardiac development. Congenital respiratory and cardiac conditions. Respiratory assessment.
  • Typical child development, variability, and warning signs. Assessment in Pediatric Physiotherapy and the main tools and scales used to evaluate development.
  • Early Intervention and Physiotherapy in early childhood. Principles of Early Intervention, family-centered practices, routines, natural environments, functional goals, therapeutic education, and interdisciplinary work. Common clinical conditions in early childhood: prematurity, congenital muscular torticollis, positional plagiocephaly, obstetric brachial plexus palsy, hypotonia, motor developmental delay, and Down syndrome.
  • The most common respiratory conditions in the pediatric population and their interventions.
  • Cerebral palsy. Detection, clinical characteristics, functional classification, assessment, goal setting, and principles of physiotherapy intervention.
  • Pediatric Physiotherapy beyond early childhood. Participation and intervention in educational settings, assistive products and technology, play and leisure, adolescence, physical activity, and transition to adulthood.

Teaching and learning activities

In person



Classes will be given with audio-visual support and the theoretical contents will be related to real practical cases.

Different activities related to procedural practice will be solved according to the contents of the course.

Teaching methodology

-        LM - Expository Method/Master Class

-        MC - Case method

-        REP - Exercise and problem solving

Training activities

 

Hours

Presenciality (%)

TC - Theoretical classes

30

100%

SLA - Self-learning activities

20

0%

IE - Independent study

40

0%

 

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person



The first sitting will consist of:

  • Continuous assessment activities (30%). Continuous assessment activities related to the content taught will be included.

  • Theoretical exam (70%). 

A passing grade of 5.0 is required to pass both the theoretical exam and the continuous assessment activities.

En cas de requerir una segona convocatòria, es realitzarà una activitat complementària per la prt d'avaluació continuada, i un examen teòric per la part de l'examen. S'exigeix una nota mínima de 5.0 per aprovar cada part.

The grading system will be used in accordance with current legislation. Currently, according to Royal Decree 1.125/2003 of September 5:

0-4.9 Fail.

5.0-6.9 Pass.

7.0-8.9 Excellent.

9.0-10 Excellent.

The "Matrícula de Honor" distinction may be awarded to students who obtain a grade equal to or higher than 9.0. Their number may not exceed 5% of the students enrolled in the subject in the corresponding academic year, unless the number of students enrolled is less than 20, in which case only one honor may be awarded.

Bibliography and resources

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