Units / PTY5100
PTY5100 · Enhancing skills in paediatric physiotherapy
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 5Department of Physiotherapy
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
This unit will cover an introduction to physiotherapy assessment and management options for children with a range of conditions who present to physiotherapists. Aetiology and epidemiology of examples of neurological, musculoskeletal and complex conditions and the physiotherapy role in evaluation are described. The skills required for communication with children, families, carers and other health professionals are also considered. An emphasis on establishing competence and confidence to work autonomously whilst identifying limits to own practice is stressed. Learning will be experienced in the online classroom environment with a single face to face day at the conclusion of the unit. A selection of case studies selected from acute, subacute and community settings will be used to explore learning outcomes.
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Peninsula | Second semester | Some activities have a choice of on-campus or online teaching activities in a block period (FLX-BLK) |
Assessment
The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Online quizzes x 4 | Quiz / Test | 35% | — |
| 2 | Exam (MCQ and short answers) (1 hour) | Examination | 20% | — |
| 3 | Clinical Guideline activity (1,000 words) | Exercise | 15% | — |
| 4 | Guided paediatric case study (2,000 words) | Written | 30% | — |
| 5 | Attendance requirement (face to face day, available also via video footage) | Demonstration | — | Competency |
| 6 | Contribution to 4 x discussion boards (one per module) | Exercise | — | Competency |
Assessment in this unit includes hurdle assessment tasks. Failure of any hurdle assessment task may result in failure of the unit.
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.
Learning outcomes
- Apply knowledge of normal development across the spectrum of childhood, within the context of normal variations.
- Identify paediatric conditions and ‘red flags’ areas of concern which are appropriate for physiotherapy intervention and recognise the scope of a comprehensive paediatric
- Synthesise the elements of a comprehensive paediatric physiotherapy assessment for children presenting with developmental, musculoskeletal or neurological conditions.
- Conduct prioritised systematic assessments using appropriate assessment tools for different paediatric conditions across the spectrum of childhood and adolescence.
- Identify and communicate the important findings of paediatric physiotherapy assessment that warrant further assessment and / or intervention and / or referral to other practitioners, especially areas of concern ‘red flags’.
- Identify and apply appropriate evidenced based or best practise interventions to specific paediatric conditions.
Workload
Approximately 12 hours per week of interaction with online lectures and course material, completion of online assessment tasks and participation in online communications with other students and tutor (online delivery only, block mode), plus self-directed study time. An additional 8 hours of face to face day attendance or video footage viewing required.
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