Family-centered care on a physiotherapy course: case reports

Abstract

Introduction: Family-Centered Care (FCC) is a philosophy that recognizes the family as a partner in the intervention process and currently constitutes one of the most important practices in pediatric physical therapy intervention. For this reason, FCC should be part of pediatric physiotherapy training so that future physiotherapists are able to include it in their clinical practice. Objective: To verify the feasibility of applying FCC as part of an undergraduate Physiotherapy course, focusing on the activity of children with different health conditions. Methods: This is a case report, based on information collected from medical records, on an intervention program carried out with 5 children and their families, in the home, once a week for seven weeks, by students of physical therapy in pediatrics. For pre- and post-intervention assessment of the children, standardized instruments were used: Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). Reports were collected from families and students regarding the FCC experience. Results: The children with neurological impairment increased the GMFM target area score by more than 5%, indicating clinical improvement. A child at biological risk had a pre-intervention AIMS percentile of < 25 and a post-intervention percentile of 50, while another child with developmental delay did not alter his percentile. At the end of the intervention, families reported greater confidence in carrying out activities with their children and students reported the experience as relevant to their professional training. Conclusion: The practical application of FCC proved promising in the academic context of pediatric physical therapy.

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