Children with Severe Impairments

Treating children with severe physical impairments, with or without cognitive impairments, presents unique challenges. Many of these children lack head and trunk control necessary to interact with family members, peers, and the environment. Finding effective evaluation tools, including standardized tests, is difficult. Therapists gaining this information will not only be able to better their outcomes, they will be able to carry this information on to family and caregivers to improve long-term functional development.

This course emphasizes evaluation and assessment across the lifespan to meet changing impairments and functional needs. Treatment techniques to address the respiratory system, basic life skills and maintaining postural alignment will be practiced. We will discuss how to set functional goals and workable home programs. This course is designed for physical, occupational and speech-languagepathologists who work with this population and want to expand their skills. Participants will identify the challenges ofworking in various settings and how to set treatment priorities for each setting. Participants will apply realistic functional goal setting techniques to make goals achievable. Treatment concepts will be reinforced through practical demonstrationsand interactive lab exercises. Participants, whether attending virtually or in person, will have access to visualdemonstrations using a doll, ensuring all can engage with and apply the concepts.

Target Audience: Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Speech-Language Pathologists

Highlights

• Effective assessment and treatment of children with medically complex diagnoses such as cerebral palsy, autism, brain injury, prematurity, heart/lung failure, seizures, and neuromuscular degenerative diseases
• Hands-on treatment strategies for development to improve function, posture and mobility using handling, positioning, bracing and weight bearing activities
• Using sensory stimulation strategies to promote improvements in vestibular input, tactile, audio, visual, proprioception, and oral motor development
• Best practices for the evaluation and testing process to set the most functional and achievable goals
• Home programs and parent/caregiver resources to promote long-term developmental outcomes