Pediatric Physical Therapy Flashcards
7 cards from real NPTE-PT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Pediatric Physical Therapy flashcards as text
A child with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy demonstrates a scissoring gait pattern. Which muscle group is PRIMARILY responsible for this pattern?
Answer: Hip adductors and internal rotators
Spasticity of the hip adductors and internal rotators causes the legs to cross midline during the swing phase, producing the characteristic scissoring pattern.
A 3-year-old child presents with Erb's palsy following a brachial plexus birth injury at C5-C6. The CLASSIC resting posture of the affected arm is:
Answer: Shoulder adduction, internal rotation, elbow extension, and forearm pronation
Loss of C5-C6 innervated muscles leaves the antagonists unopposed, producing the classic 'waiter's tip' posture: shoulder adduction/internal rotation, elbow extension, and forearm pronation.
Which intervention is MOST appropriate as first-line treatment for an infant diagnosed with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT)?
Answer: Passive cervical stretching, active range of motion facilitation, and caregiver education in positioning
Conservative management with passive stretching, active movement facilitation, and caregiver education in positioning and carrying is the evidence-based first-line treatment for CMT.
A child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) demonstrates Trendelenburg gait and compensatory lumbar lordosis. These findings are MOST directly caused by weakness of the:
Answer: Hip abductors (gluteus medius) and hip extensors (gluteus maximus)
Weak gluteus medius produces the Trendelenburg sign during single-limb stance, while weak gluteus maximus combined with hip flexor tightness leads to compensatory lumbar lordosis in DMD.
Which intervention is CONTRAINDICATED for a child with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) during an acute joint flare?
Answer: High-intensity resistive exercises targeting the acutely inflamed joint
High-intensity resistive exercise targeting an acutely inflamed joint increases intra-articular stress and worsens synovial inflammation, risking further joint damage.
A physical therapist is treating a 5-year-old with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who has significant tactile hypersensitivity. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
Answer: Use a sensory integration framework with predictable, structured tactile activities graded to the child's tolerance
A sensory integration approach using graded, predictable, and child-directed sensory experiences supports self-regulation and gradually reduces hypersensitivity in children with ASD.
A child with myelomeningocele at the L4-L5 level is evaluated for community ambulation. Which orthotic is MOST appropriate?
Answer: Ankle-foot orthosis (AFO)
An L4-L5 lesion preserves hip flexion, knee extension, and partial ankle dorsiflexion; AFOs provide the necessary ankle-foot stability for community ambulation without requiring more proximal support.