title: [Physical therapy in pediatric primary care: a review of experiences].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review pediatric physical therapy experiences described in the literature and to analyze the production of knowledge on physical therapy in the context of pediatric primary health care (PPHC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA criteria. The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO, PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane; Brazilian Ministry of Health's CAPES doctoral dissertations database; and System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe (SIGLE). The following search terms were used: ["primary health care" and ("physical therapy" or "physiotherapy") and ("child" or "infant")] and equivalent terms in Portuguese and Spanish, with no restriction on publication year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen articles from six countries were analyzed and grouped into three main themes: professional dilemmas (three articles), specific competencies and skills required in a PPHC setting (seven articles), and practice reports (four articles). Professional dilemmas involved expanding the role of physical therapists to encompass community environments and sharing the decision-making process with the family, as well as collaborative work with other health services to identify the needs of children. The competencies and skills mentioned in the literature related to the identification of clinical and sociocultural symptoms that go beyond musculoskeletal conditions, the establishment of early physical therapy diagnoses, prevention of overmedication, and the ability to work as team players. Practice reports addressed stimulation in children with neurological diseases, respiratory treatment, and establishing groups with mothers of children with these conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The small number of studies identified in this review suggests that there is little knowledge regarding the roles of physical therapists in PPHC and possibly regarding the professional abilities required in this setting. Therefore, further studies are required to provide data on the field, along with a continuing education effort on the part of physical therapists.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil, mcalheiros@iff.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Miriam Ribeiro Calheiros
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: de Sá
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil, mcalheiros@iff.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Paula de Almeida
authors.initials: Pde A
authors.lastname: Thomazinho
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil, mcalheiros@iff.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Fabiano Luiz
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil, mcalheiros@iff.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Nicolette Celani
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Cavalcanti
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil, mcalheiros@iff.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Carla Trevisan Martins
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil, mcalheiros@iff.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda Vieira
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Negreiros
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil, mcalheiros@iff.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Marcia Regina
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vinhaes
mesh_terms: D015706:Bibliometrics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D059825:Physical Therapists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012380:Role