Diagnosis dialog for pediatric physical therapists: hypotonia, developmental coordination disorder, and pediatric obesity as examples.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify what diagnosis means for pediatric physical therapists, to provide several examples of human movement dysfunction syndromes, and to offer guidance for how pediatric physical therapists may continue this work in any clinical setting.


CONCLUSIONS
The importance of diagnosis in pediatric physical therapy is presented along with examples of 3 different processes used to develop diagnostic labels. These processes included surveys to identify consensus opinion of clinicians, a literature review, and a combination of these 2. Hypotonia, developmental coordination disorder, and pediatric obesity are presented as examples.


CONCLUSIONS
The 3 diagnoses serve as a basis for ongoing dialogue, discussion, and development of diagnostic labels for human movement syndromes identified by pediatric physical therapists.
Krannert School of Physical Therapy (Dr Martin), University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine (Dr McCoy), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Department of Physical Therapy (Dr Wrotniak), D'Youville College, Buffalo, New York; Center for Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics (Dr Wrotniak), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Pediatrics (Dr Wrotniak), Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Kathy S
KS
Martin
Sarah
S
Westcott
Brian H
BH
Wrotniak
D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D006801:Humans; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009123:Muscle Hypotonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D059825:Physical Therapists / Q000592:standards*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities