Category Archives: August

Understanding the ‘odd gait’ of autism

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often described as “uncoordinated” or “clumsy” and many have clear motor control impairments. Early intervention to address motor deficits may improve physical skills and the difficulties with social functioning that are the hallmark of the disorder.

By Keith Loria

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Posted in Pediatric Feature, August, 2018 | Leave a comment

Connecting with patients can improve outcomes

Building bonds with patients and their families, as well as a deeper understanding of their day-to-day lives, gives practitioners insight they can use to create a management plan that everyone can embrace. Experts offer advice on connecting, and weigh in on the management challenges and opportunities of hand-held tech.

By Shalmali Pal

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Posted in Pediatric Feature, August, 2018 | Leave a comment

AFOs improve gait in kids with CP after lower limb ops

Devices increased step width, speed – Children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP) experience improved gait function when walking with ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) versus barefoot one year after lower limb surgery, according to research from Norway. The impact of AFOs was most evident in children with…

By Katie Bell

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Posted in 2018, August, Pediatric Clinical News | Leave a comment

Lower extremity protheses can pose barriers to active play          

More follow-up, motor skill ed can help – Children who use lower extremity prostheses (LEP) may experience participation restrictions in active play, according to research from Seattle that may have implications in prosthetic design and rehabilitation strategies.

By Katie Bell

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Posted in August, Pediatric Clinical News, 2018 | Leave a comment

Gender, socioeconomics, specialization, and sports injury risk   

AAOS, AOSSM give back-to-school recs – It’s back to school time, and orthopedic and sports medicine experts say some of the latest research at the intersection of sports and pediatric health could help practitioners minimize the risk of injury for their patients.

By Hank Black

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Posted in August, Pediatric Clinical News, 2018 | Leave a comment

Dyslexia affects ability to adjust to impaired sensory feedback

Kids struggle to maintain balance – Children with dyslexia are unable to compensate with other available inputs when sensory feedback to the soles of their feet, their vision, or both is less informative, resulting in poor postural stability, according to research from Paris, France, which may have implications in training to help these children improve their use of sensory inputs.

By Katie Bell

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Posted in Pediatric Clinical News, 2017, August | Leave a comment

Parents say comfort, easy use are clubfoot compliance keys

All devices present challenges – A recently developed pediatric orthosis for Ponseti night bracing received positive ratings from parents in a small Swedish study of children with idiopathic clubfoot who had compliance problems or relapse with one of two earlier bracing devices, a foot abduction brace (FAB) or a dynamic knee ankle foot orthosis (KAFO).

By Hank Black

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Posted in August, Pediatric Clinical News, 2017 | Leave a comment

Weak hip extensors contribute to ankle sprains in soccer players      

Findings support use of strengthening – Hip strengthening may be as important for preventing lateral ankle sprains in youth soccer players as it is in adults, according to a recent Belgian study.

By Jill R. Dorson

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Posted in August, Pediatric Clinical News, 2017 | Leave a comment

ITW update: Etiological clues, collaborative care

Researchers still haven’t unraveled the ‘I’ in ITW, or idiopathic toe walking, but studies continue to point to neurodevelopmental  and genetic links. Here, we review recent literature and experts explain how they assess patients’ history and biomechanics for information to guide treatment.

By Larry Hand

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Posted in Pediatric Feature, August, 2017 | Leave a comment

Growth plates and injury in skeletally immature athletes

In this follow-up to “Growth-plate injuries: A diagnostic challenge,” (May, page 15) we continue our look at physeal trauma, exploring growth-plate issues in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and further examining these injuries’ impact on the knees, ankles, and feet of youth athletes.

By Shalmali Pal

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Posted in 2017, Pediatric Feature, August | Leave a comment