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Parietal Cortex Involved in Proprioception

Recent research published in Current Biology reports on proprioception. Subjects had to determine information regarding touch AND location. The posterior parietal cortex was the brain area responsible to determine touch AND location. When magnetic stimulation was used to impair the subject’s parietal cortex, the perception of touch or location alone was not decreased. It was […]

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Measuring Inclusion in Early Childhood

If are a teacher, parent or therapist for children in an early childhood inclusive setting you may want to check out two new resources that can assist you in determining the quality of your inclusion program. The SpeciaLink Early Childhood Inclusion Quality Scale was developed in 2009 to assess inclusion quality in early childhood settings. […]

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Non Surgical Intervention for Flat Feet

A Cochrane Review was published entitled “Non-surgical Interventions for Paediatric Pes Planus”. The research indicates that custom foot orthoses may improve pain and function slightly. Three studies were included in the review. In one study, children with juvenile arthritis reported significant reduction in pain and reduction in disability while using the custom foot orthoses. The […]

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Developmental Coordination Disorder and Risk of Obesity

The Canadian Medical Association Journal published research on a study of over 2000 children from 4th through 6th grades. The children were screened for coordination disorders. One hundred eleven children had a potential diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The 111 children exhibited a higher body mass index and waist circumference in 4th grade which […]

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Exercise Participation: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

To continue on with yesterday’s topic, promoting participation in recreational activities for children with disabilities, today’s topic will discuss specific recommendations for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Research has shown that children with JIA can participate in exercise regimens without exacerbating the disease. In addition, research has shown that exercise for at least 6 […]

Physical Therapy Podcasts

Thanks to a tip from @Therextras on Twitter or blog at Therextras.com, check out the PTJ Podcasts. These podcasts are provided by the American Physical Therapy Association. There are several topics on pediatric physical therapy. They also provide Bottom Line podcasts monthly. Essentially the research is summarized and translated for how it effects clinical practice. […]

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Movement Quality of Infants Correlates with IQ at School Age

Pediatrics published research on 60 preterm infants (range 25-33 weeks) without cerebral palsy. The infants were videotaped and movement was analyzed until 17 weeks post term. General movements were established as normal or abnormal. When the children were then 7-11 years old, intelligence testing was performed. Results indicated that if general movements were normal by […]

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PT Education and Cystic Fibrosis

A recent article in the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis reports that physical therapy education was very stressful for parents of toddlers with cystic fibrosis. The parents reported “psychological distress” from PT education. There were three factors that influenced the parents education: large volumes of information, educational resources and timing of education. The researchers recommend specific […]

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Effects of Standing Programs on Walking in Children with CP

Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics published research on the effects of prolonged standing on the walking patterns of children with cerebral palsy. Six children with spastic cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification Levels II and III) participated in this study over a period of 9 weeks. The first three weeks the children received physical […]