title: Treadmill training and overground gait: decision making for a toddler with spina bifida.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This case report describes a decision-making process that was used to progress a home-based intervention that coupled treadmill and walker stepping for a preambulatory toddler with spina bifida.
  
  
  METHODS
  The toddler in this report had an L4-L5 level lesion, and began this home-based intervention at 18 months of age when she was pulling to stand.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention included parameters for treadmill stepping that prepared this toddler for gait with orthotics and was progressed to overground walking with a walker using a decision-making algorithm based on data obtained from a parent log and coded video.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This toddler progressed from not stepping at the start of the study to ambulating 150 m with a walker at age 23 months, after 18 weeks of this intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intervention and decision-making process used in this study were family centered and may be applicable to gait intervention with other populations.
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Program, Department of Human Movement Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, USA. moerchev@uwm.edu
authors.forename: Victoria A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Moerchen
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Habibi
authors.forename: Kelly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lynett
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Konrad
authors.forename: Heather L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hoefakker
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005080:Exercise Test; D005684:Gait; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014743:Videotape Recording; D016138:Walking