Paediatrics Physiotherapy

At the end of the course, students should be able to: 1. describe the sequence, principles of and factors influencing movement development during first five years of life; 2. describe the pathological basis, aetiology and clinical features of neuromotor and neuromuscular conditions in children; 3. describe the assessment procedures for neuromotor and neuromuscular conditions in children; and 4. describe physiotherapy management of neuromotor and neuromuscular conditions in children.

Motor development during the first five years of life - important considerations in motor development (growth/maturation of the brain after birth, environment), sequence, principles of development. Introduction to motor control theories; reflex development and testing. Cerebral palsy – definition, aetiology, clinical features and classification, assessment, treatment approaches (Neuro developmental Therapy/Bobath’s method). Spina Bifida. Mental retardation (Downs Syndrome). Autism. Acute flaccid paralysis – poliomyelitis, sciatic nerve injection palsy, Gullian Barre Syndrome. Brachial plexus injuries (Erb’s palsy, Klumpke’s paralysis, Duchenne - Klumpke’s paralysis). Muscular dystrophies. Flaccid paralysis in children: - Orthopaedic problems in childhood: - Congenital foot deformities, congenital hip dislocations, osteogenesis imperfecta, torticollis, juvenile. Rheumatoid arthritis, muscular dystrophies. Cardiorespiratory disorders in children such as cystic fibrosis, asthma and rheumatic fever.