Designing effective treatment programs to improve strength, endurance and function in children with disabilities and chronic conditions can be enormously challenging. This course will help clinicians set realistic goals, prioritize treatment and implement successful programs for children with a variety of diagnoses including cerebral palsy, autism developmental coordination disorder, and obesity. An evidence based approach to outcome measures and intervention design will be discussed including frequency, intensity, duration and types of interventions to improve strength and function. Participants will observe and practice some of these measurement and intervention techniques during short demonstration sessions and case studies. Specific intervention activities will be discussed such as strategies to enhance strength, flexibility, endurance and function such as progressive resistive exercises, resistance bands, treadmill training, therapeutic ball exercises, aquatic exercise, structured play and yoga. Evidence on the effectiveness of existing community based programs and resources to improve physical activity, strength and endurance in children will be discussed.
Following completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Incorporate strengthening and endurance training strategies into treatment programs to maximize function in children with and without disabilities.
- Integrate evidence from applied clinical and community-based strength and endurance training programs to enhance functional outcomes in children with and without disabilities.
- Identify and use systematic and objective measures to document changes in function, strength and endurance at the body structure (impairment), activity (limitation) and participation (dis ability) levels.
- Identify clinical and community-based programs that provide evidence to support function, strength and endurance in children with and without disabilities.
Maria Fragala-Pinkham PT, DPT, MS, is a physical therapist and clinical researcher at Franciscan Hospital for Children in Boston. She has worked in a variety of settings including early intervention, schools, home care and outpatient clinics. Renowned for her clinical and teaching excellence, Maria conducts workshops throughout the United States. She has developed community-based adapted sports and fitness programs for children including an adapted ice skating program and an aquatic exercise and swimming program. She is a member of an international team to examine fitness measures and interventions in children with cerebral palsy. She has published articles on the topics of pediatric outcome measures, effectiveness of therapeutic interventions and fitness for children with disabilities.
"This conference was great! We are using the course
materials to develop competencies for our department
and also have updated what we use for clinical outcome
measures for our outpatient population." -Angela Allan, OT
"Being able to attend a presentation by therapists who
are masters of their subject is very informative. I have
been given many ideas that I will build into my practice.
Thank you!” -Lyn Crawford, PT
This was the most useful and relevant pediatric course I
have ever taken." -Carol Rickaby, PT
VENUE ADDRESS
Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children
3 Randolph Street
Nelson Clinic Room
Canton, MA 02021
Directions
VENUE LOCATION MAP
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This course meets the criteria for 14.5 contact hours (1.45 CEUs).
Approved provider of continuing by the American Occupational Therapy Association #3043 for 14.5 contact hours (1.45 CEUs) Intermediate level. Occupational Therapy Process: assessment, intervention. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products or clinical procedures by AOTA.
NBCOT professional development provider-14.5 PDUs.
