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Paediatrics research

Everything we have read on paediatrics. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

1,906 PAPERS · PAGE 11 OF 39 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOther2020Use of airway clearance therapy in children hospitalised with acute lower respiratory tract infections in a South African paediatric hospital.The South African journal of physiotherapyAirway clearance therapy was given in only 85 cases (5.9%), mostly for presumed nosocomial LRTI or pneumonia, not bronchiolitis. Six cases desaturated during or immediately after sessions. Longer stay and death were associated with therapy, but this chart review cannot show cause.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020Predictors of cognitive development in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 and plexiform neurofibromas.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with NF1 and plexiform neurofibromas show widening gaps in math, writing, and executive function over time. Those with parents who also have NF1 or lower parental education decline fastest. Regular school-based assessments and targeted support are critical.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Early Development of Infants with Turner Syndrome.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPInfants with Turner Syndrome generally scored in the average range for cognition and behavior, but a disproportionate number showed risks in language and motor skills. Gross motor scores were significantly lower than typical peers, and some visual-motor skills appeared to slow between 12 and 24 months.
• PTSurvey2020School-Based Physical Therapy Services: Predicting the Gap Between Ideal and Actual Embedded Services.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationSchool-based PTs estimate they provide fewer embedded services than they believe are ideal, especially for students with moderate disabilities. Billing practices, district contracts, and inferred family preferences predict this gap, suggesting administrative and social factors limit practice more than clinical need.
• PTOTCohort2020Motor Function in School-Aged Children With Positional Plagiocephaly or Brachycephaly.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationSchool-aged children who had moderate to severe positional skull deformation as infants scored lower on motor tasks, especially strength and agility. Those with mild deformation did not differ consistently from controls.
• PTOTNarrative Review2020Coaching approaches in early intervention and paediatric rehabilitation.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCoaching in early intervention is not one method. The review argues the word should mean collaborative, family-centred coaching, not parent training, and says therapists need more than 4 days of supported education to change how they work.
• PTRCT2020Lessons learned from conducting a pragmatic, randomized, crossover trial on robot-assisted gait training in children with cerebral palsy (PeLoGAIT).Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineRobot-assisted gait training did not improve a common walking ability test compared with usual care in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy. The trial stopped early, so this does not prove the robot does not help.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2020Effect of neonatal therapy on the motor, cognitive, and behavioral development of infants born preterm: a systematic review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyTherapist-designed programs where parents actively engage preterm infants in daily motor practice showed moderate-to-large short-term gains in motor and cognitive skills. Interventions delivered only by therapists or started late showed little to no long-term benefit.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Neurodevelopmental Characterization of Young Children Diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C1.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP22 of 29 young children with NPC1 had delays qualifying them for early intervention, yet only 10 received services before age 3. Motor and language delays were common.
• PTCohort2020Is the SPARTACUS 15-15 test an accurate proxy for the assessment and tracking of maximal aerobic capacities in adolescents with obesity?Journal of physical therapy scienceAfter 12 weeks in adolescents with obesity, Spartacus 15-15 changes did not track measured VO2peak changes, although baseline scores related to lab-measured aerobic capacity.
• PTCohort2020Anteroposterior balance reactions in children with spastic cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn children with spastic CP who walked without aids, older children had to step at smaller forward treadmill pushes than typically developing peers; younger children did not differ. Backward pushes were similar.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Facilitating sensorimotor integration via blocked practice underpins imitation learning of atypical biological kinematics in autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults who struggled to imitate a novel, atypical movement learned it when they practised that single movement repeatedly in a block, rather than mixing it with typical movements. Blocked practice allowed them to encode the unusual timing, a skill that transferred to random testing.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Driving after pediatric traumatic brain injury: Impact of distraction and executive functioning.Rehabilitation psychologyA history of pediatric TBI did not independently worsen simulated driving. Instead, executive functioning deficits drove poor vehicle control and speed variability. Texting impaired driving for all participants, while hands-free conversation did not.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Structural validity of the mealtime behaviour questionnaire for children with autism spectrum disorder in Japan.Journal of physical therapy scienceA new 42-item questionnaire accurately groups mealtime problems in autistic children into five distinct areas: selective eating, manners, concentration, oral motor skills, and overeating. This structure helps therapists pinpoint specific causes of feeding difficulties rather than treating them as one single issue.
• PTOTRCT2020Gait improvements by assisting hip movements with the robot in children with cerebral palsy: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFive minutes of hip-assistive robot training improved hip movement symmetry and push-off force in children with cerebral palsy, but did not increase walking speed. The benefits were temporary and seen only after the robot was removed.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020Electronic participation-focused care planning support for families: a pilot study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCaregivers of children in early intervention used a web-based care-planning tool over two weeks. Most finished it independently in under 13 minutes. Feedback was neutral to favorable, but many found it burdensome. It is feasible for future trials but not yet a tested treatment.
• PTQualitative2020Exploring Physiotherapists' Use of Motor Learning Strategies in Gait-Based Interventions for Children with Cerebral Palsy.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsEight physiotherapists said child characteristics and each child's response drove their gait-strategy choices. They adapted cues and task progression during sessions, but used inconsistent language for the same strategies.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Number of trials necessary to achieve performance stability in a reaching kinematics movement analysis game.Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand TherapistsHealthy children and adults needed 6 practice trials to stabilize arm movement in a VR game. The study suggests therapists should collect multiple trials before assessing performance, as even simple reaching requires repetition to be reliable.
• PTOTOther2020Validity and reliability of an accelerometer-based assessgame to quantify upper limb selective voluntary motor control.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAn accelerometer game separated children with upper motor neuron lesions from healthy peers and agreed with therapist notes, but it is not yet reliable enough to track small changes after therapy.
• PTOTOther2020Normative database of spatiotemporal gait parameters using inertial sensors in typically developing children and young adults.Gait & postureGait does not fully mature until ages 9 to 21, not age 4. Stride length variability is highest in children aged 5 to 6 and normalizes by age 9. Absolute stride length and speed increase with age, but normalized values remain stable.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Robotic assessment of rapid motor decision making in children with perinatal stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with hemiparetic cerebral palsy made more errors on a robotic task requiring rapid decisions to hit targets and avoid distractors. They hit fewer targets and more distractors than typically developing peers, showing impairments in both motor skills and inhibitory control.
• PTOther2020Infant carrying method impacts caregiver posture and loading during gait and item retrieval.Gait & postureCarrying an infant mannequin, in arms or a carrier, increased ground forces during walking. Women lifted from the floor with less trunk bending, and in-arms carrying increased knee flexion. The movement changes were small and not shown to cause pain or injury.
• PTOTSLPOther2019State Variability in Diagnosed Conditions for IDEA Part C Eligibility.Infants and young childrenState lists for IDEA Part C eligibility vary wildly, from zero to 167 conditions. Hearing impairment and FAS are most common. Most listed conditions are rare, and no clear policy defines which diagnoses qualify a child for early intervention.
• PTOTOther2020The Seated Postural & Reaching Control Test in Cerebral Palsy: A Validation Study.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsTrained raters scored the seated postural and reaching test consistently, and its scores lined up with other cerebral palsy measures. The 5-second static sitting test detected only 31% of children with static control deficits.
• PTOTOther2020Relationship between Mastery Motivation and Sensory Processing Difficulties in South Korean Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder.Occupational therapy internationalSouth Korean children with DCD showed definite sensory processing difficulties and low mastery motivation. Higher negative reactions to failure and lower perceived competence predicted worse sensory processing scores. Clinicians should assess motivation and confidence when planning sensory interventions.
• PTOther2020Reliability and validity of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale in patients with spinal cord injury.The South African journal of physiotherapyFor South African adults leaving spinal cord injury rehabilitation, a 21-item questionnaire about discharge readiness gave consistent scores and mostly reflected patients' own readiness. It did not meet every item-level standard.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020An Exploration of Health Behaviors in a Mind-Body Resilience Intervention for Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPParents of children with autism showed large reductions in fatigue despite minimal sleep increase, while parents of children with learning disabilities improved physical activity more. Both groups made small gains in healthy eating. The intervention helped fatigue and activity but did not significantly change sleep duration or diet.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Prevalence and cumulative incidence of autism spectrum disorders and the patterns of co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders in a total population sample of 5-year-old children.Molecular autismIn a total population sample of 5-year-olds in Japan, autism prevalence was 3.22% and incidence was stable over four years. Critically, 88.5% of diagnosed children had co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders, and 30% had received no prior services.
• PTQualitative2020Perceived Barriers Before and After a 3-Month Period of Modified Ride-On Car Use.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationFamilies reported more barriers after 3 months of modified ride-on car use without ongoing researcher support. Environmental and device concerns were common, and car use was low. Therapists may need to help families plan around these issues.
• PTRCT2020Subtle Motor Signs as a Biomarker for Mindful Movement Intervention in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPSome motor and symptom measures improved after the 8-week multi-component mindful movement program, but motor persistence did not. With no control group, this cannot show the program caused the changes.
• PTOther2020Short stature and the effect of human growth hormone: Guidelines for the care of people with spina bifida.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineGuidelines for spina bifida recommend tracking growth and pubertal changes, using arm span if height cannot be measured, and referring to endocrinology if growth concerns arise. They do not recommend routine growth hormone without documented deficiency.
• PTSLPOther2020Developmental status of human immunodeficiency virus-exposed uninfected premature infants compared with premature infants who are human immunodeficiency virus unexposed and uninfected.The South African journal of physiotherapyAmong premature infants, HIV-exposed uninfected babies had similar cognitive scores and higher language and motor scores than HIV-unexposed uninfected babies. The unexposed group had more meningitis and jaundice, which are documented causes of neurological impairment.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Self-management and independence guidelines for the care of people with spina bifida.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineStart building self-management and independence in infancy through small daily choices, chores, and condition-care tasks, increasing gradually with family support. These spina bifida guidelines offer practical steps, not proof that any single approach works.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2020A Strength-Based Intervention to Increase Participation in Leisure Activities in Children with Neuropsychiatric Disabilities: A Pilot Study.Occupational therapy internationalTwo boys with autism and ADHD set their own leisure goals. They reached these goals and rated their own ability higher. However, the intervention was time-consuming for staff, and the small number of participants means we cannot know if this works for others.
• PTOTOther2020Family functioning guidelines for the care of people with spina bifida.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineExpert consensus guidelines recommend assessing family dynamics, stress, and barriers to medical self-management across spina bifida age groups. They suggest referring to OT and PT for self-care. These are expert recommendations, not tested interventions.
• PTCohort2020Diversity and regularity in infant crawling with typical development.Journal of physical therapy scienceNineteen typically developing infants showed wide differences in crawling movement patterns before walking, from 23 to 65 types. Infants who began crawling earlier tended to show more patterns, so no single count was consistent.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Nutrition, metabolic syndrome, and obesity: Guidelines for the care of people with spina bifida.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineExpert consensus guidelines for nutrition in spina bifida advise against using standard BMI charts due to altered body composition. Clinicians should monitor growth trajectories instead and focus on bowel health and strengths-based weight conversations rather than weight loss alone.
• PTOTCohort2020Musculoskeletal Pain Outcomes Pre- and Post Intrathecal Baclofen Pump Implant in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Prospective Cohort Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn 32 children with cerebral palsy, parent-reported musculoskeletal pain duration and constant pain decreased after baclofen pump implant. Pain intensity, episode frequency, interference, and spasticity did not change.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Adapting the Ages and Stages Questionnaire to Identify and Quantify Development Among Children With Evidence of Zika Infection.Infants and young childrenA modified screening protocol allowed clinicians to quantify severe developmental delays in infants with congenital Zika infection. Children with microcephaly showed profound delays, with median developmental ages far below their biological ages, while those without microcephaly scored closer to peers.
• PTSystematic Review2020Exploring the Unmet Need for Technology to Promote Motor Ability in Children Younger Than 5 Years of Age: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translation53 papers described technology for very young children with motor deficits. Case study designs and studies with 11 to 50 participants each accounted for 34% of papers, and 75% of technologies were investigational.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Behavior Problems Following Childhood TBI: The Role of Sex, Age, and Time Since Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationLow family income predicted behavior problems more strongly than injury severity did. Girls injured in adolescence showed higher attention and externalizing symptoms than boys. Social competence improved as time passed, but early deficits were common.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2020Health behaviors and disordered eating in adolescents and young adults with spina bifida: results from a national survey.Disability and rehabilitationAdolescents and young adults with spina bifida reported higher rates of purging and restricting than typically developing peers. This risk extended to males and those with lower body mass index, meaning weight-based screening alone misses those already underweight or healthy.
• PTCohort2021The Association of Parity with Greater Dynamic Pronation of the Feet.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationWomen with more children showed greater foot pronation during walking. This association disappeared after adjusting for age and BMI, suggesting weight and aging may drive the foot changes rather than parity itself.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Participation in Physical Activity at Time of Presentation to a Specialty Concussion Clinic Is Associated With Shorter Time to Recovery.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationChildren referred to a concussion clinic who were already doing moderate or heavy activity recovered 21 days sooner than those doing none or light activity. This association held after adjusting for symptoms and demographics, suggesting early non-contact activity is safe and linked to faster recovery.
• PTOther2020Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Emergency Department Visits Among American Indian and Alaska Native Persons-National Patient Information Reporting System, 2005-2014.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationEmergency department visits for traumatic brain injury among American Indian and Alaska Native persons in Indian Health Service hospitals, tribally managed facilities, or contracted care increased from 2008 to 2014. Falls and assault were the leading causes.
• PTOTOther2021Navigator Role for Promoting Adaptive Sports and Recreation Participation in Individuals With Disabilities.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationAdults with disabilities and parents wanted adaptive sports support from a person active in adaptive sports, not an app. They valued social connection, mental health, and accessible facilities, but cited cost and limited knowledge as barriers.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021A systematic review of head-up tilt to improve consciousness in people with a prolonged disorder of consciousness.Clinical rehabilitationThere is insufficient high-quality evidence to support using head-up tilt to improve consciousness in adults with prolonged disorders of consciousness. While the Erigo device reduces treatment interruptions from low blood pressure compared to standard tilt-tables, neither device has been proven to enhance alertness.
• PTRCT2020Toward a hybrid exoskeleton for crouch gait in children with cerebral palsy: neuromuscular electrical stimulation for improved knee extension.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn one child with cerebral palsy, electrical stimulation to two knee muscles during stance improved knee extension and range of motion in the more affected leg. This immediate change occurred while wearing an exoskeleton that was not actively assisting movement. It does not prove long-term benefit or that the stimulation alone caused the improvement.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Emerging health challenges for children with physical disabilities and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: The ECHO French survey.Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicineDuring lockdown, rehabilitation services were massively interrupted, leaving parents to deliver therapy at home. This caused a heavy mental load for families and led to negative effects on children's morale, behavior, and physical activity levels.
• PTOTOther2021Cognitive-Motor Interference Heightens the Prefrontal Cortical Activation and Deteriorates the Task Performance in Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationChildren with hemiplegic cerebral palsy showed more prefrontal activation and poorer shape matching when doing the task on a therapy ball than while sitting. The dual task also slowed their reaction time.