Physical Therapy for Infants and Toddlers

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This topical guide will introduce you to important books, videos, and information resources available from the EI Clearinghouse and other sources. Contact us via online form or by phone (1-877-275-3227) to request a resource listed below (or ask your local public librarian). Note that some videos may be viewed online, and journal titles will take you to the publisher’s homepage.

mom helping child to walk

Books

Handbook of Pediatric Physical Therapy
Toby Long
Wolters Kluwer, 2019
This book reflects the latest advances in the field as it presents each condition’s etiology, assessment considerations, treatment, and all other information related to contemporary pediatric physical therapy practice.
Call#: WB 460 .L8501 2019

Motor Development and Movement Activities for Preschoolers and Infants with Delays
Jo Cowden and Carol Torrey
Charles C. Thomas, 2007
This text provides both theoretical and practical approaches to motor development and physical therapy techniques for preschoolers.
Call#: WE 103 .C874 2007

Physical Therapy for Children
Robert Palisano, et al. (Eds.)
Elsevier, 2017
This updated, evidence-based textbook covers numerous aspects of physical therapy and young children with special needs, including case studies. New additions include autism, pediatric oncology, the NICU, and assessments.
Call#: WB 460 .P176 2017

Posture and Movement of the Child with Cerebral Palsy
Marcia Hornbrook Stamer
PRO-ED, Inc., 2015
This book has been thoroughly updated with current research information on pathophysiology. It uses the ICF Model of human functioning to organize information on the motor types of cerebral palsy and general hypotonia. All new information is made relevant to clinicians.
Call#: WS 342 .S783p 2015

Teaching Motor Skills to Children with Cerebral Palsy and Similar Movement Disorders: A Guide for Parents and Professionals
Sieglinde Martin
Woodbine House, 2006
This expanded edition presents an overview of fine motor development and how the characteristics of Down syndrome can impact the acquisition and progression of these skills.
Call#: WS 342 .M383t 2006

The Clinical Practice of Pediatric Physical Therapy
Mark Drnach
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008
This text covers all aspects of providing physical therapy to young children.
Call#: WS 368 .D782 2008

Therapeutic Exercise in Developmental Disabilities
Barbara Connolly and Patricia Montgomery
SLACK, 2005
This book focuses on case studies that demonstrate the application of current motor development, motor control, and motor learning theories.
Call#: WS 368 .T398 2005

Videos

Infants: Physical Development
30 min; DVD
Learning Seed, 2010
This video provides an introduction to typical physical development in infants.
Call#: WS 103 .I43 2010

Moving Through the World: Gross Motor Skills and Play
12 min; DVD
Visually Impaired Preschool Services, 2006
This DVD is part of a series of videos that outline strategies and methods that physical therapists can use with young children who are visually impaired.
Call#: HV 1596.5 .C36 2006 v.7

Organizations

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
APTA is a national individual membership professional organization seeking to advance physical therapy practice, education, research, and awareness.

Articles

Physical Therapy, 91(9), 1323-1338
Pediatric Physical Therapy in Infancy: From Nightmare to Dream? A Two-Arm Randomized Trial
Cornill H. Blauw-Hospers, Tineke Dirks, Lily J. Hulshof, Arend F. Bos, & Mijna Hadders-Algra. (2011)
This article summarizes a recent study that examined the effectiveness of physical therapy with infants.

PT: Magazine of Physical Therapy, 12(12), 48-54
Maximizing Your Role in Early Intervention
Michelle Vanderhoff. (2004)
This article discusses how the physical therapist can best collaborate with other members of the early intervention team.

Web Resources

American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine
This organization seeks to provide physical therapists and other health professionals with multidisciplinary scientific education and research related to cerebral palsy and childhood-onset disabilities.

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
APTA is a national individual membership professional organization seeking to advance physical therapy practice, education, research, and awareness.

Position Statements from the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
This page provides links to the early intervention position statements of various national organizations, including physical therapy associations.

What Makes a Good Toy?
Stores today are full of toys with “eye appeal” for children and adults. This can make it hard to tell if a toy is worth buying. After all, a child can turn almost anything into a toy! Here are some questions to keep in mind when you make decisions about toys for children. Also in Spanish and Polish.