Tag: Participation

Tests & Measures for Participation

Yasmin is a sixteen-year-old girl with athetoid cerebral palsy, GMFCS level IV.  She is passionate about her studies and has already gone to check out a few colleges.  She is thinking about living in a dorm.   As her PT, are there measures that will help you learn about her current level of participation?  You know about her activity capacity, but not as much about her current level of performance – and that is what will matter as she transitions to more independent living. After some thought, you decide to update the TRANSITION-Q for health management skills and the ACTIVLIM-CP for daily activities.  Additionally, you are going to update Yasmin’s COPM to prioritize her individual goals.

I’ve recently discovered the world of performance and participation measures.  They can begin to bridge the gap between physical therapy appointments and higher participation in daily life.  Some measures are free and translated into many languages.   Other measures assess global performance change after PT intensives, Botox, or surgery.  Many of these are new to me, aside from the CHAQ, PEM-CY, COPM, and GAS.  It is exciting to think of the potential and I look forward to trying them out in the months to come!  Continue reading “Tests & Measures for Participation”

Are You Helping a Child Move Before They are Ready? Thinking About Latency in the Context of Movement.

“Nate,   stand up”.  Nathan is five, has cerebral palsy and takes a while to prepare to move his body.  Thirty seconds or more can pass between the request to move and getting a response.  He is quiet, then there may be a quiver of movement. Sure enough, after some patience, up comes the leg and he rises to standing with only a little assistance.  In the context of the classroom, this extra waiting time is surely difficult.  Nathan either arrives late to an activity or his aide is lifting and initiating for him throughout the day and a behavioral expectation is set up.

Children with motor planning difficulty need extra time to initiate and carry out their movement.  Many of us live in a world where time is scarce and we don’t feel that we have time to wait. On the other hand, starting with the end in mind is crucial and takes a lot of training, repetition and patience.  What have you decided to do when faced with this dilemma?

Continue reading “Are You Helping a Child Move Before They are Ready? Thinking About Latency in the Context of Movement.”

How to Use the 30-Second Walk Test (30sWT)

Walking from class to the school library, Josh falls to the back of the line.   Shortly thereafter, a gap forms between Josh and the rest of his class.  He is last to arrive and gets the half-functioning computer that everyone else avoids.   As his PT,  you are there to observe, problem-solve and treat.   The computer lab is a half-minute walk from class.    His concerned teacher asks, “Has he always had this difficulty?  Is his walking speed typical for this age?”  Do you have an answer for this question?

30sWT Quick Facts:

  • Age 5-17
  • natural environment
  • walking at natural pace

Josh’s slow walking speed was a major concern at the beginning of the school year.  At that time, the thirty-second walk test (30sWT) result was clear; he was below the 5th percentile for boys his age and off the low-end of the chart.   But as of right now, his time has improved because he has better propulsion and a more efficient gait. Continue reading “How to Use the 30-Second Walk Test (30sWT)”