Rehabilitation for Paediatrics

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

Graduate level knowledge of the health care system and professional role consistent with a bachelor program in a health care science.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This online subject provides students with the opportunity to build an understanding of the safe and effective application of intervention and rehabilitation principles to meet the health needs of infants, children and adolescents and their families. The subject will focus on understanding typical development across the motor, cognitive, language and social-emotional domains throughout childhood. Students will develop an extended knowledge of evidence-based assessments, interventions and rehabilitation for childhood-onset disabilities in order to improve their daily life and participation in the society. Students will design and evaluate a rehabilitation program in their own context and will contribute to the learning of other students via discussion board and an online presentation.

All students will complete four modules within this subject

All students will complete a Foundational module that will use the ICF (international classification of function, disability and health) to explore the development of structures and function of infant, child and adolescent development across motor, cognitive, language and socio-emotional domains. Students will develop their understanding of the typical development and factors that may alter this development pathway.

Students will then choose two from four modules that best meets their learning interests and/or practice needs. These modules are:

1. The Early detection of neurodevelopmental impairments module describes evidence-based diagnostic, assessment and prognostic options for infants at high risk of neurodevelopmental impairments. Students will learn about clinical pathways and
decision-making trees that include assessment and expected outcomes based on best available evidence.

2. The Motor learning interventions in paediatrics module focuses on application of motor learning principles for effective rehabilitation interventions for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental, neuromusculoskeletal or acquired neurological
impairments.

3. The Gait development module will cover typical and atypical gait development from infants to adolescence, including assessment of common gait impairments and disorders secondary to neurodevelopment, neuromusculoskeletal or acquired impairments. Assessment will focus on the temporo-spatial, kinematics and kinetics determinants of gait.

4. The Transition from childhood to adulthood module will cover the biological and social role transitions from child to adolescence and adolescence to adulthood. Students will investigate how environmental factors (such as health policy and health service
provision) and personal factors (such as socioemotional responses) characterise these transitions and the subsequent health and wellness experiences of the individual.

The final Integration module will be completed by all students and will focus on the application of rehabilitation theory to practice with an understanding of the needs of the individual and her engagement with a group program. Students will integrate and apply their learning from the previous three modules into context specific applications. They will select appropriate outcomes measures and critically review literature to solve contextually relevant rehabilitation challenges.

The curriculum is designed around three elements which provide both horizontal and vertical integration throughout the program. These elements are:

Rehabilitation Theory and Practice
1. Describe the typical development of motor, cognitive, language and socio-emotional development from birth to adolescents.
2. Critically assess and analyse the health-related needs of individuals, groups and/or health populations for intervention and/or rehabilitation programs, recognising the personal and environmental circumstances that influence functional capability and participation preferences.
3. Analyse and synthesise literature to address the intervention and rehabilitation needs of individuals and groups of infants, children or adolescents with common conditions.

Evidence and Innovation
4. Select and critically justify appropriate outcome measures to describe, discriminate or evaluate development throughout childhood.
5. Critically evaluate emerging therapies, technologies and innovations that are designed to improve child outcomes.

Clinical Practice in Context
6. Discuss how contextual factors (including social, legal, economic and political) influence the rehabilitation practice culture in your context and how these factors can be managed to promote ‘best practice’ rehabilitation in paediatrics.
7. Design and deliver an evidence-informed program for a specific paediatric condition within your practice context.

• Contribution to online discussions via discussion boards throughout term, 10%
• Quiz (online) 1 hr week 3, 20%
• Reflective portfolio 1,500 words due week 8, 20%
• Written assignment 2,000 words due week 9, 50%

Students will have access to electronic copies of prescribed readings

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students will have had the opportunity to develop the skills associated with:

• Producing assessment outcomes with a high level of personal autonomy and accountability
• Applying knowledge, information and research skills to complex problems in a range of contexts
• A high regard for human rights, social inclusion, ethics and the environment.
• Being active, well-informed citizens who make substantial contributions to society.
• Being enthusiastic, self-assured and confident of their knowledge, yet flexible, adaptable and aware of their limitations.