Wait times for paediatric rehabilitation

Area of Science:

• Pediatric rehabilitation
• Disability studies
• Healthcare access

Background:

• Early intervention for children with disabilities is crucial for functional outcomes.
• Access to pediatric rehabilitation services, including physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT), can be challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the waiting times for PT and OT services for young children with physical disabilities.
• To identify factors influencing these waiting times.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study involving 206 children (aged 6-72 months) with physical disabilities.
• Data collected on referral dates, demographics, diagnoses, and rehabilitation appointment dates.
• Disability severity assessed using the WeeFIM scale.

Main Results:

• Half of the children waited over 7 months for PT and 11 months for OT.
• Shorter waiting times were associated with younger child age.
• Referral to a specific rehabilitation center correlated with reduced waiting periods.

Conclusions:

• Significant delays exist in accessing PT and OT for children with physical disabilities.
• There is a need for strategies to expedite the delivery of these essential rehabilitation services.