Physiotherapy Across the Lifespan B (PHTY3130)

Course overview

This course deals with (1) assessment and (2) management of clients from birth to 18 years, encompassing family centred practice within a multidisciplinary framework.

This course embeds its teaching within several clinical frameworks:

1. Child and family-centred practice - clients/children (and families) should be active participants in making decisions about their own health.
2. Strengths-based practice - children and families present with their own strengths which should be recognised and utilised in physiotherapy assessment and management.ﾠ
3. Bio-psycho-social approach - using the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Classification of Functioning Disability & Health (ICF) and Australian Physical Literacy frameworks.
4. Interprofessional practice - physiotherapists work in a collaborative, goal directed manner with the client, their family and other clinicians.
5. Evidence-based practice - all decisions incorporate (i) best available evidence, (ii) high level expertise, and (iii) each client's experiences and goals.
6. Culturally safe and responsive communication and practice - physiotherapists must be culturally reflexive and responsive in their practice.
7. Trauma informed practices- physiotherapists must acknowledge that trauma has an impact on individuals’ lives, and the way that they are able to participate in their healthcare.

In addition, general professional practice elements will be integrated throughout the course

1. Occupational health and safety aspects are provided at each year level for the program as a whole, as well as for each clinical placement, and students must maintain current first aid qualifications throughout the program.
2. Students have the opportunity to reflect on how teaching in this course relates to physiotherapy competency standards.
3. Students will be required to critically reflect on research evidence across the course themes and apply this in a clinical context, which is assessed in theory and practical examinations. Assessment is completed by students individually.

The course is delivered using several approaches:

1. Lectures/lecturettes.
2. Independent learning materials & student reflection.
3. Practical classes, including simulated learning opportunities.
4. Tutorials.

This course addresses the main lifespan theme of Paediatrics:

MODULE 1: Paediatric Development and Assessment

This module provides students with core information regarding the assessment of neuro-sensory-motor and musculo-skeletal development in foetal, neonatal, childhood and adolescent periods. Themes addressed in this course include: typical neuro-sensory-motor development; symptoms and signs of atypical development; common risk factors and antecedents for developmental issues; principles and framework for paediatric physiotherapy assessment across neuro-sensory-motor and orthopaedic domains; selection and application of appropriate assessment items / outcome measures; special considerations for assessment with children with various conditions.

Students will gain competencies in neuro-sensory-motor and orthopaedic assessment items, identifying performance that is within or outside the typical range, interpretation of individual client data and differential diagnoses and applying common developmental assessment tools used in clinical practice. Orthopaedic content will provide students with knowledge and skills related to commonly encountered conditions associated with the lower limb (e.g. CTEV, postural abnormalities, DDH); spine (e.g. idiopathic and neuromuscular scoliosis and/or kyphosis); head, neck & upper limb (e.g. torticollis, plagiocephaly, neonatal brachial plexus injury).

MODULE 2: Physiotherapy Management

This module provides students with core information regarding principles of physiotherapy management of common neuro-sensory-motor and orthopaedic conditions in infancy, childhood and adolescence. Themes addressed in this course include: child and family centred practice and the impact of therapy; principles and practice of goal setting, intervention and outcome measurement; physiotherapy role within the interdisciplinary team; child behaviour management in therapy; consideration of various physical, social & cultural environments and impact on service provision; parent/child/professional education and negotiation; and treatment prioritisation.

Neuro-Sensory-Motor content will provide students with knowledge and skills related to conditions associated with motor delay or coordination difficulties (e.g. Developmental delay, DCD, dyspraxia, preterm born children); neurological impairment (e.g. cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, brain tumors); sensory impairment (e.g. visual, hearing, tactile, proprioception, vestibular impairment); neurodiversity (e.g. Autism, ADHD); genetic, intellectual and/or multiple impairments (e.g. Down Syndrome, Rhett Syndrome); and neuromuscular conditions (e.g. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy). Orthopaedic content will provide students with knowledge and skills related toﾠacute and chronic pain (e.g. sports injuries, haemophilia, arthridities); connective tissue disorders (e.g. osteochondrodysplasia, hypermobility syndromes);ﾠand physical activity in children.

Course requirements

Prerequisites

You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:

PHTY2220, PHTY2230, PHYL2064

Restrictions

BPhty Students

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

A timetable which includes suggested timing for independent online theory activities will be posted on Blackboard.

Aims and outcomes

1. Understand and apply principles of contemporary practice frameworks during physiotherapy assessment and management including the ICF, child and family-centred practice, cultural safety and responsiveness, strengths-based practice, and physical literacy.ﾠ
2. Understand how to deliver appropriate paediatric physiotherapy care as relevant to the Australian Physiotherapy Competency Standards, principles of interprofessional practice, and the various settings in which physiotherapists work.ﾠ
3. Demonstrate knowledge of paediatric growth and development in body functions and structures including neurological, motor, sensory and musculoskeletal systems and their relationship toﾠgross motor, fine motor and postural activity competence, and participation.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of, and apply the principles of, standardised, norm-referenced, criterion-referenced and/or population specific assessment protocols commonly used in paediatric physiotherapy.
5. Demonstrate knowledge and skills required for evidence-based assessment of performance of infants, children and adolescents, as appropriate for their physical, psychological, cognitive and social development.
6. Demonstrate knowledge and skills in clinical reasoning required for the identification, classification and diagnosisﾠof movement dysfunctionﾠin infants, children and adolescents,ﾠand planning of appropriate, evidence-based physiotherapy intervention.ﾠ
7. Demonstrate knowledge and skills required to implement and evaluate outcomes of evidence-based physiotherapy intervention of infants, children and adolescents, as appropriate for the child’s physical, psychological, cognitive and social development.
8. Understand a range of paediatric neurological, developmental and orthopaedic conditions and the specific evidence-based, physiotherapy assessment tools and intervention strategies for these populations.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Module 1: Paediatric Assessment - Theory Exam

• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

25%

Due date

11/04/2025

Other conditions

Time limited.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Deferred exams can be requested for this assessment item. Please apply for a deferred exam if there are exceptional or unavoidable circumstances, or as a one-off discretionary request. Deferred exam requests should be submitted as soon as possible, and no later than five calendar days after the date of the original exam. Further details, including how to apply, can be found at - Deferring an exam. Please also email the Course Coordinator to advise of the deferred exam request. 

Module 1: Paediatric Assessment - Practical Exam

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Activity/ Performance

Category

Examination, Practical/ Demonstration

Weight

20% Must Pass

Due date

8/04/2025

Other conditions

Time limited.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Deferred exams can be requested for this assessment item. Please apply for a deferred exam if there are exceptional or unavoidable circumstances, or as a one-off discretionary request. Deferred exam requests should be submitted as soon as possible, and no later than five calendar days after the date of the original exam. Further details, including how to apply, can be found at - Deferring an exam. Please also email the Course Coordinator to advise of the deferred exam request. 

Module 2: Paediatric Management - Theory Exam

• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

30%

Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025

Other conditions

Time limited.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08

Task description

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Deferred exams can be requested for this assessment item. Please apply for a deferred exam if there are exceptional or unavoidable circumstances, or as a one-off discretionary request. Deferred exam requests should be submitted as soon as possible, and no later than five calendar days after the date of the original exam. Further details, including how to apply, can be found at - Deferring an exam. Please also email the Course Coordinator to advise of the deferred exam request. 

Module 2: Paediatric Management - Practical Exam

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Activity/ Performance

Category

Examination, Practical/ Demonstration

Weight

25% Must Pass

Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025

Other conditions

Time limited.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L07, L08

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Deferred exams can be requested for this assessment item. Please apply for a deferred exam if there are exceptional or unavoidable circumstances, or as a one-off discretionary request. Deferred exam requests should be submitted as soon as possible, and no later than five calendar days after the date of the original exam. Further details, including how to apply, can be found at - Deferring an exam. Please also email the Course Coordinator to advise of the deferred exam request. 

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

Final marks falling between whole percentages will be rounded to the nearest whole percentage. Tie-breaking will be conducted using the round half up method whereby half-way values are always rounded up, meaning, for example, that 89.50% and above will be rounded to 90% and 89.49% and below will be rounded down to 89%.

IMPORTANT: MUST PASSﾠASSESSMENT ITEMS:ﾠ

This course contains ‘must pass’ assessment items. You must pass both practical exams, and the combination of both theory exams (i.e., an average result of >55% on your combined theory exam results) to pass this course overall, i.e., even if your final percentage mark is 55% or higher, each individual hurdle must have been passed to pass the course.ﾠStudents with a grade >55% but who fail a must-pass assessment item will receive a grade of 3.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Additional assessment information

Due Times for Assessment

All assessment/exam times are scheduled in Australian Eastern Standard time and are in person.

Resubmission/Resit of assessment items

The School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences supports the concept of resubmission or resitting of failed assessment items in specific and defined circumstances. In this course, the Module 1: is eligible for consideration of the resubmission/resit option.

After resubmission or resit, the maximum result is a pass mark (55%) for that assessment component. Students who are granted a resubmission/resitﾠfor an assessment item and do not submit by/attend on the scheduled date will not be granted an extension/permitted to reschedule the assessment.

Students will be eligible for a maximum of ONE resubmission or resit optionﾠfor this course.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

The following web sites have some excellent clips of children being assessed and/or examples of normal/atypical motor function.

• http://library.med.utah.edu/pedineurologicexam/html/introduction.html
• https://pathways.org/ﾠ
• http://www.kidzgrow.com/child_development/

2. The Raising Children Network website has information about typical development and disability, designed for parents: https://raisingchildren.net.auﾠﾠ

3. Standardised assessments will be introduced via in-class or video sessions: e.g. AIMS, NSMDA, BOT 2, TGMD-2, BESTest.

4. Videos made by teaching staff will be available on Blackboard (where parent consent is available for online sharing)

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.