Preparation of physical therapists to work with handicapped infants and their families: current status and training...

Area of Science:

• Physical Therapy
• Pediatric Rehabilitation
• Family-Centered Care

Background:

• Physical therapists play a crucial role in the development and care of infants.
• There is a growing emphasis on family-centered approaches in pediatric healthcare.
• Understanding the current training status of physical therapists is essential for improving infant and family services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess physical therapists' current preparedness to work with at-risk and handicapped infants and their families.
• To identify specific needs for developing infant- and family-focused training materials and curricula.

Main Methods:

• A telephone survey was conducted with 73 physical therapy programs.
• A follow-up mail survey targeted 14 physical therapy programs offering infancy specializations.
• Data were collected on curriculum content related to infant and family care.

Main Results:

• Students in entry-level and specialized master's programs received common instruction in infant-related topics.
• A significant gap exists, with many students receiving minimal or no exposure to family-related content.
• Family assessment and intervention were identified as high-priority areas for training material development.

Conclusions:

• Physical therapy programs adequately cover infant-specific topics but need to enhance family-focused content.
• There is a clear need for developing and implementing training materials and curricula that integrate family assessment and intervention.
• This study provides a foundation for designing improved physical therapy education in infant and family care.