Pediatric Outcomes Toolbox: Measures for Alternative Forms of Mobility

Course overview

Children who use some type of device to support their mobility skills use a means of mobility that is considered different than their typically developed peers. Such ambulatory or mobility devices may include orthoses, walkers, canes, crutches, manual wheelchairs and various forms of powered mobility. Children who require the use of alternative forms of mobility automatically fall in a category of mobility impairment despite how functional they may be with their devices. Many traditional tests and measures put these children at a disadvantage when trying to use such measures to determine a childs change in performance over time. Pediatric Outcomes Toolbox Measures for Alternative Forms of Mobility will discuss strategies to address this measurement challenge and provide examples of tests and measures that by design afford children the ability to use whatever form of mobility works best, or could be adapted to minimize the disadvantage experienced by those needing alternative forms of mobility. This course will also illustrate best practices in the measurement of motor and functional skills for children using alternative forms of mobility through case examples.