Pediatric Physical Therapy Flashcards
7 cards from real NPTE-PT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Pediatric Physical Therapy flashcards as text
A 2-year-old is diagnosed with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Which intervention approach has the STRONGEST evidence for improving functional motor performance?
Answer: Task-oriented approach targeting specific functional motor skills meaningful to the child
Task-oriented approaches (e.g., Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance — CO-OP) that directly practice ecologically meaningful functional skills have the strongest evidence for DCD.
Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) for a 4-year-old with spastic hemiplegia PRIMARILY achieves its therapeutic effect by:
Answer: Constraining the unaffected limb to force intensive use and motor learning in the hemiplegic limb
CIMT places a constraint (cast or mitt) on the stronger, unaffected limb to force intensive use of the weaker hemiplegic limb, driving cortical reorganization and functional improvement.
A physical therapist evaluates a 4-year-old child who walks and runs age-appropriately but cannot hop on one foot. This finding is BEST characterized as:
Answer: A gross motor delay, as hopping on one foot typically emerges around age 3-4 years
Hopping on one foot typically emerges around age 3-4 years, so inability to hop at age 4 represents a delay in fundamental motor skill development warranting intervention.
A 7-year-old is diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis and a Cobb angle of 20 degrees. The MOST appropriate initial physical therapy intervention is:
Answer: Scoliosis-specific exercises (e.g., Schroth method) combined with postural education
For Cobb angles under 25 degrees, scoliosis-specific exercise programs and postural education are the recommended initial physical therapy management, with bracing indicated at 25-45 degrees.
A premature infant in the NICU demonstrates oxygen desaturation, bradycardia, and pallor during a PT intervention. The therapist's MOST appropriate IMMEDIATE response is to:
Answer: Immediately stop the activity and allow the infant to recover to baseline while notifying nursing
Physiologic stress signals (oxygen desaturation, bradycardia, color change) require immediate cessation of intervention and recovery support; the therapist notifies nursing rather than independently managing respiratory support.
Which standardized assessment tool is MOST appropriate to evaluate functional balance in a school-age child with cerebral palsy?
Answer: Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS)
The Pediatric Balance Scale is a 14-item functional balance measure validated for children aged 5-15 with motor impairments, directly adapted from the adult Berg Balance Scale.
A physical therapist is providing care for a child with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type II and the family. Which principle BEST reflects family-centered care?
Answer: The therapist collaborates with the family to identify and prioritize goals aligned with the child's and family's values and daily life
Family-centered care requires active partnership with the family in goal-setting and decision-making, ensuring interventions are meaningful and reflect the family's priorities and the child's daily context.