Pediatric practice in physical therapy. A survey

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Physical Therapy
• Clinical Competence Assessment

Background:

• The role of physical therapists in pediatric care is evolving.
• Defining advanced practice competencies is crucial for specialized pediatric physical therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the roles and functions of physical therapists in pediatrics.
• To identify tasks specific to advanced clinical competence in pediatric physical therapy.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to members of the American Physical Therapy Association's Section on Pediatrics.
• Data were collected on the importance of various consultative, evaluation, treatment planning, and implementation tasks.

Main Results:

• Out of 109 tasks, 37 were deemed unimportant for pediatric physical therapy.
• Of the 72 important tasks, 46 were classified as entry-level and 10 as advanced-level.
• Sixteen tasks lacked clear definition within the survey.

Conclusions:

• This survey provides foundational data for understanding the physical therapist's role in pediatrics.
• Further validation studies are necessary to confirm advanced-level responsibilities in pediatric physical therapy practice.