THE INDEX

Every paper we have read

Each one summarised from the full article, not its abstract, and kept only if it speaks to physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology or nursing. Newest first.

35,183 PAPERS · PAGE 631 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPQualitative2026A Qualitative Analysis of Unintentional Injuries in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers of autistic children identified specific behavioral traits driving injury risk: communication deficits that hide pain, fixated interests (especially water), motor coordination issues, and elopement. Safety instruction must be adapted to non-verbal strengths, using visual supports and physical barriers rather than verbal warnings alone.
• Other2026Efficacy and Safety of Propofol as a Sole Sedative for fMRI Sedation in Autism Spectrum Disorder Individuals with Low IQ.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPropofol sedation helped 77 ASD individuals with IQ below 70 complete fMRI scans; 62 scans were high quality, 6 needed rescanning, and 3 had airway obstruction managed during sedation.
• SLPSurvey2026Sociodemographic Differences Impact the Perceived Importance of Social Communication and Interaction Behaviors.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers' ratings of how important social behaviors are to them vary by race, income, and child status, especially for advanced skills like gestures. Low caregiver concern about these skills does not mean the child lacks them. It may mean the family does not value them.
• PTOther2026Exploring the digital landscape: A scoping review of Achilles tendinopathy education on public websites and in randomised controlled trials.Clinical rehabilitationAcross 385 Achilles tendinopathy websites and five trial leaflets, education was often low quality and incomplete. They commonly missed guideline advice on pain, prognosis, risks and shared choices, so check before directing patients.
• SLPPilot2026Validating the RISE Communication Play Protocol as a Diagnostic Tool for Autism in Early Childhood: A Pilot Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAn at-home parent-led play assessment plus caregiver interview found 97% of children diagnosed with autism on the in-person ADOS-2 in 38 toddlers with social communication concerns. It missed one child, and the sample was small and mostly autistic.
• OTSLPOther2026Operationalizing the ICF Core Sets for Autism and ADHD: A Multiple-Methods Feasibility Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic people, relatives, professionals and general population users rated the ICF CoreSets platform as generally usable, but found it lengthy and wanted clearer scale wording, accessibility, and a result summary.
• SLPOther2026A Concurrent Validity Study of the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) and the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Developmental Inventory (CDI) in Infants with an Elevated Likelihood or Diagnosis of Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFor 14-month-olds, scores from the Mullen Scales (MSEL) and the MacArthur-Bates CDI only moderately match each other. This agreement holds whether the infant is autistic, at risk, or typical. Do not assume a child’s language profile is fully captured by one measure alone.
• SLPSurvey2026Relationship Satisfaction Among Autistic Populations: How Partner Neurotype Influences Relationship Satisfaction Factors for Autistic Adults.Autism in adulthoodOverall relationship satisfaction did not differ by whether the partner was autistic, neurodivergent, or neurotypical. Autistic adults still described different relationship strengths and challenges depending on the partner's neurotype.
• OTSLPQualitative2026Learning from the Experiences of Autistic Professionals Working in Health and Education.Autism in adulthoodAutistic health and education professionals in Scotland described disclosure as risky, interviews as confusing, and unpredictable environments as stressful. Support came from trusted colleagues, advance information, sensory adjustments, and teams that valued neurodivergence.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Cognitive Impairments Impact Functional Mobility in Stroke Survivors.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairStroke survivors with cognitive impairment showed worse balance, walking, and driving than cognitively normal survivors, despite similar motor strength. Driving performance was the most affected area. Cognitive deficits impact mobility independently of physical weakness, suggesting routine cognitive screening is vital for safe mobility planning.
• OTSystematic Review2025Taking stock of psychosocial rehabilitation in children and adolescents: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAcross 18 studies of time-limited rehabilitation for children and adolescents with physical conditions, pooled before-after improvement was moderate, but only 4 studies contributed data and only 2 had controls.
• PTOTCase-Control2025Foot placement coordination is impaired in people with Parkinson's disease.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with Parkinson's disease place their feet less precisely than healthy adults, with errors of 3 to 4 mm. This loss of fine control occurs even when walking speed is normal, suggesting a specific deficit in how the body coordinates steps to maintain balance.
• PTOther2025Reproducibility of the Motor Optimality Score-Revised in infants with an increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.Developmental medicine and child neurologyFor infants at risk of neurodevelopmental problems, six trained clinicians could disagree on total movement quality, especially when fidgety movements were included. Scoring two videos and reaching group agreement made scores more consistent.
• PTOTCase Report2025Case Report: Nonsurgical management of painless cervical motor radiculopathy.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA 67-year-old man with sudden, painless, severe right shoulder weakness recovered full function in five weeks using epidural steroid injections, physical therapy and medication. This single case suggests conservative management can work, but cannot prove it is safe or effective for others.
• OTOther2025Stage-specific EMG feature optimization for enhanced post-stroke hand gesture recognition.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDifferent muscle-signal features worked best for different Brunnstrom recovery stages in 13 post-stroke patients, improving hand gesture recognition. No patient outcomes were tested, so this is a wearable system design finding.
• Survey2025Investigation and analysis of rehabilitation therapists' current situation in Hunan province after the COVID-19 epidemic: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAmong 769 rehabilitation therapists in Hunan, China, monthly income was the only factor independently linked to job satisfaction. Age, years of experience, and job title showed no association once income was accounted for.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Genetic testing in cerebral palsy with clinical and neuroimaging variables.Developmental medicine and child neurologyClinicians support genetic testing for cerebral palsy but lack clear guidelines on who to test. In a retrospective cohort, no single clinical or MRI factor reliably predicted a genetic cause after multivariable analysis, though dysmorphic features and normal MRI were suggestive in univariable models.
• PTOTRCT2025Participation in activities of daily living after the Akwenda Intervention Program for children and young people with cerebral palsy in Uganda: A cluster-randomized trial.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with cerebral palsy in rural Uganda who received the Akwenda program increased their attendance in daily activities more than waiting-list controls. Gains were largest for those with greater mobility limitations and in community activities like celebrations and employment.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Evaluation of sonographic ulnar nerve cross-sectional area cutoff values at and around the medial epicondyle for diagnosing ulnar neuropathy at the elbow in wheelchair users.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineA 10 mm² ulnar nerve size on ultrasound is highly specific for cubital tunnel syndrome in wheelchair users, making it useful for confirming the diagnosis. However, sensitivity was low, so a normal scan does not rule out the condition.
• OTSLPOther2026Teacher-Student Interactions of Autistic Adolescents: Relationships between Teacher Autonomy Support, Structure, Involvement and Student Engagement.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTeachers rarely offered autistic students choices, spending most time neutral. Structure helped engagement, but only when clear. Involvement showed no consistent link to engagement. Autonomy support was the rarest positive interaction.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026"Shutdowns Are Like You're Stuck on the Blue Screen of Death": A Metaphor Analysis of Autistic Shutdowns.Autism in adulthoodAutistic adults described shutdowns using six metaphors: being frozen, a computer crash, going inside myself, can't keep up, survival mode, and playing a role. These terms highlight the internal, physical, and protective nature of the experience, offering a shared language for clinicians to understand patient distress.
• RCT2026Professional Development in Autism and Multilingualism for Behavior Analysts: A Randomized Waitlist Control Trial.Journal of autism and developmental disordersA 50-minute online training improved behavior analysts' knowledge and self-efficacy about supporting multilingual autistic children, but did not change their attitudes. The study was underpowered, so it shows what a short webinar can teach, not what it changes.
• OTSLPOther2026The Relationship Between Interoception, Alexithymia, Autistic Traits and Eating Pathology in Autistic Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAtypical eating, distinct from weight concerns, predicts eating disorder pathology in autistic adults. However, body image dissatisfaction remains a strong predictor in both autistic and non-autistic groups. Assessments must screen for sensory or routine-based eating issues alongside traditional weight and shape concerns.
• PTOther2026Association of sports and physical activity with mild traumatic brain injury and behavioral and neurocognitive function.Brain injurySoccer and climbing were linked with a higher chance of a history of mild brain injury in 9- to 10-year-olds, while yoga was linked with a lower chance. Sports participation was also linked with fewer behavioral and emotional problems and better thinking scores.
• OTOther2026How Long Does it Last? The Enduring Benefits of Neurodiversity Training and Diagnostic Disclosure on Hiring Outcomes for Adults with ASD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersRaters who watched neurodiversity training videos and knew a candidate’s diagnosis rated autistic candidates as equally likely to be hired as non-autistic candidates. This held two weeks and two months after training, despite some social ratings remaining lower.
• SLPOther2026The Association Between Classroom Quality and the Social Competence of Autistic Preschool-Age Boys.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic preschool boys showed higher social competence and more engagement with unfamiliar adults when their classrooms had high emotional support and organization. This association held even after controlling for autism severity, suggesting classroom climate matters for social development.
• OTSLPOther2026Social Functioning in Autistic Children with Below-Average vs. Average IQ: Limited Behavioral and Neural Evidence of Group Differences.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children with below-average IQ scored worse on direct face-memory, theory-of-mind, and role-play tasks, but caregivers reported similar everyday social functioning. Brain responses showed limited differences.
• SLPRCT2026Can a Short-Term Intervention Promote Growth Among Parents of Children with ASD?Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents who watched two 20-minute videos on growth mindsets reported less stress and more personal growth six months later. The comparison group, which received no intervention, showed no change. The effect was seen in both mothers and fathers.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2026Examining Virtual Reality Interventions for Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersVR social skills training shows promise for children with autism, but results are inconsistent. Many studies lacked control groups or failed to show skills transferring to real life. It is not yet proven superior to standard therapy.
• SLPRCT2026Using Artificial Intelligence to Improve Empathetic Statements in Autistic Adolescents and Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adolescents and adults with low empathy scores used an AI chatbot for about four weeks. Their ability to respond empathetically in conversation with a human improved significantly compared to a waitlist group, and they found the program acceptable.
• OTOther2026The Vocational and Educational Index: An Update to the Vocational Index to Reflect Contemporary Postsecondary Educational Options for Autistic Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe updated Vocational and Educational Index separates education from work for autistic adults. It captures modern options like internships and disability-specific college programs that the old index missed. Code agreement was high, ranging from 92.7% to 97.6% across dimensions.
• Cohort2026Atypical Resting-State EEG Graph Metrics of Network Efficiency Across Development in Autism and Their Association with Social Cognition: Results from the LEAP Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersResting-state brain network efficiency differed between autistic and non-autistic participants only in adolescence and adulthood, not childhood. Alpha-band network measures showed small associations with empathy and emotion recognition, but did not predict theory of mind.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Barriers and Facilitators to Participating in Pediatric Oncology Rehabilitation: Childhood Cancer Survivor and Caregiver Perspectives.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationChildhood cancer survivors and caregivers identified barriers to rehabilitation participation, including inconsistent providers, lack of oncology-specific knowledge in community therapists, and insurance gaps. Facilitators included building trust through consistent care, flexible scheduling for treatment side effects, and clear discharge planning.
• OTSLPOther2026Chronic Parenting Stress in Parents of Children with Autism: Associations with Chronic Stress in Their Child and Parental Mental and Physical Health.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of children with autism showed high reported stress linked to poor mental health and emotional eating. Hair cortisol, a biological stress marker, correlated between parents and children but did not match reported stress levels. Higher biological stress in mothers linked to higher glucose.
• PTOTPilot2025Monitoring wheelchair propulsion patterns: feasibility and validity of using wearable sensors.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA hand-mounted sensor correctly identified four wheelchair propulsion patterns in 12 users, including those with no experience. The system worked equally well for men and women and across all four movement styles.
• PTOTRCT2025The impact of bimanual reach training with augmented position sense feedback on post-stroke upper limb somatosensory and motor impairment.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationBimanual robot training improved position sense and motor impairment in chronic stroke patients, but adding force-coupling to the less-affected arm provided no benefit over visual feedback alone. Both groups improved similarly, suggesting the active practice itself drives recovery.
• PTOther2025Development and validation of the electrosacrogram (ESG): a digital point-of-care tool for real-time neuro-sacral assessment after spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA bedside electrical muscle test quantified sacral squeeze and sensation after spinal cord injury. It matched rectal exam for squeeze and sensation, not resting tone, and a normal result did not rule out pathology.
• PTOTPilot2025EMG-guided human-machine interaction training develops new intermuscular coordination patterns in stroke: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFour stroke survivors learned to separate two co-activating arm muscles using EMG feedback over six weeks. This changed how their muscles coordinated and improved reaching and wrist movement, but the study was too small to prove the method works.
• PTOTRCT2025Comparison of Body Weight Support-Assisted Balance and Gait Training With or Without Balance Perturbations in Poststroke Rehabilitation: Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAdding eight balance perturbations to body-weight supported gait training did not improve balance, confidence, or walking speed more than standard training alone in poststroke inpatients. Both groups improved similarly. The added perturbation module offers no functional advantage over standard care in this setting.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Telerehabilitation in Postoperative Breast Cancer Care: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesCompared with standard care, telerehabilitation after breast cancer surgery improved quality of life and reduced pain. Upper-limb function did not show a significant pooled improvement.
• PTOTRCT2025High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for stroke patients lower extremity function: primary motor cortex versus cerebellar stimulation. A randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAfter stroke, two weeks of high-frequency brain stimulation to the motor cortex or cerebellum, with conventional rehab and medication, improved lower-limb function and balance more than sham. The contribution of brain stimulation alone cannot be separated from the other treatments.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Sonomyography accurately captures joint kinematics during volitional and electrically stimulated motion in healthy adults and an individual with cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationUltrasound imaging tracked wrist and ankle movement accurately in four people, including one with cerebral palsy. This method resisted electrical stimulation noise that blinded standard muscle sensors, but it is a technical feasibility check, not a clinical tool yet.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Sex Differences in Subacute Blood Biomarker Levels and Associations With Post-Concussion Symptom Severity in Adolescents With Concussion.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationIn adolescents with concussion, females had higher tau levels than males. Biomarkers linked to symptoms differently by sex: p-tau181 correlated with cognitive issues in both, but NFL and UCH-L1 predicted physical symptoms in males and emotional symptoms in females. These are associations, not diagnostic tools.
• PTOTRCT2025The Berlin bimanual test for stroke survivors (BeBiT-S): evaluating exoskeleton-assisted bimanual motor function after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new 10-task bimanual test for stroke survivors scored reliably and agreed with existing hand function scores. With a brain-controlled hand exoskeleton, 15 participants scored higher on the test, mainly in grasping and stabilizing.
• SLPCohort2026Primary Care Autism Screening with the Parent's Observations of Social Interactions.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn toddlers at primary care visits, a positive parent-report autism screen was linked to later autism diagnosis and earlier diagnosis. It also produced false positives, so it is a flag for follow-up, not proof.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Disorder Type and Severity as Predictors of Mental Health in Siblings of Children with Chronic Disorders.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHow severe the child's condition is predicts sibling mental health problems. The specific diagnosis itself does not. Fathers' ratings of severity matched siblings' own reports better than mothers' did. Screen for risk based on functional impairment and daily life disruption, not just the diagnostic label.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2026Exploring the Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) for Children with ASD Across Countries: A Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDogs and horses dominated human-animal interaction for children with ASD, and animal-assisted interventions were more common than pet ownership. Country patterns differed, with US home-based pet ownership and Europe/Asia therapy-animal use.
• OTSLPCohort2026Adaptive Functioning Across Contexts: A Comparison of Parent and Self-Reported Ratings in Autistic and Non-Autistic Youth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic teens and young adults rated their social adaptive skills higher than their parents did. Parent and self-ratings disagreed across all areas, and autistic youths' self-ratings aligned with an independent social functioning rating.
• OTCohort2026Unpacking housing needs: Utilization of rental assistance among a national sample of households with children with disabilities.Disability and health journalChildren with disabilities are overrepresented in HUD rental assistance, making up 8% of assisted households. They are significantly more likely to receive Housing Choice Vouchers than Multi-Family Housing, suggesting these flexible vouchers are the primary mechanism for families managing disability-related housing needs.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2026Early Identification of Autism Using Cry Analysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Retrospective and Prospective Studies.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPooled data from six studies found no significant difference in infant cry pitch between those later diagnosed with autism and typically developing infants. While some individual studies noted higher pitch, the overall evidence does not support using cry analysis to identify autism early.