Pediatric Physical Therapy.

Pediatric Physical Therapy The editor offers this book as a "textbook directed toward the education of students in entry-level physical therapy curricula," stating that the text is based on current practice as well as on the suggested entry-level competencies and the major disability groups identified by the American Physical Therapy Association's Section on Pediatrics.

Thirteen chapters by 14 contributors and the editor address the role of the physical therapist in the management of a range of pediatric disabilities and cover different practice settings, tests, and adaptive equipment. Normal motor development is presented in the first chapter, which analyzes the continuously changing motor abilities of the infant rather than simply providing lists of motor milestones. The second chapter provides an excellent examination of the role of developmental tests in pediatric physical therapy, offering guidelines for the selection of tests and a detailed discussion of a variety of assessments. The role of adaptive equipment is covered in a separate chapter that focuses on issues involved in determining a child's need for adaptive equipment. Unfortunately, this chapter does not deliver all that it promises; for example, wheelchairs are discussed only incidentally.

Different settings for physical therapy are discussed in detail. For instance, the chapter on the high-risk neonate describes the variety of medical diagnoses likely to be encountered by the physical therapist in the neonatal intensive care unit. Photographs and illustrations of therapeutic handling and positioning accompany the text. The role of physical therapy in the school also is presented, with a detailed discussion of current law and its implications for physical therapy services. Program development, physical therapy treatment, and data collection are presented with a sample physical therapy evaluation and individual educational plan. The chapter covering adolescent sports injuries includes an overview of organized contact sports, physiology, and injuries found in specific sports. Discussions about assessment and treatment of injuries are accompanied by illustrations of braces that can be worn postinjury during sports.

The remaining seven chapters focus on a range of disabilities and their physical therapy management: cerebral palsy, spina bifida, pulmonary disorders, orthopedic disorders, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, mental retardation, and myopathy and related disorders. Definitions, etiology, and medical management are covered. Physical therapy assessment and treatment rationales are discussed in detail. All chapters contain appropriate tables, charts, or case studies. References are included at the end of each chapter, and excellent illustrations and photographs accompany the text throughout.

This excellent and much-needed text is appropriate for both the entry-level student and the new pediatric physical therapist. It would be a good text for pediatric clinical education sites.