Diagnostics and Management of Pediatric Headache: An Exploratory Study among Dutch Physical Therapists

Physiotherapists are often part of a multidisciplinary treatment plan for children with headaches. The literature on physical therapeutic diagnostics and management of headaches is often focused on adults. To gain insight, identify knowledge gaps, and increase the evidence needed for clinical physical therapeutic practice with children with headaches, an exploratory method is warranted. The purpose of this study was to describe the views, beliefs, and experiences of physical therapists regarding diagnostics and treatment options for children with headaches. The method consisted of a survey and... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Maria N. Bot
Hedwig A. van der Meer
Marloes Meurs de Vries
Ewald M. Bronkhorst
Stanimira I. Kalaykova
Nico H. J. Creugers
Dokumenttyp: Text
Erscheinungsdatum: 2023
Verlag/Hrsg.: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Schlagwörter: headache / pain / child / diagnostics / therapeutics / orofacial / temporomandibular disorders
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-29412594
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : https://doi.org/10.3390/children10071135

Physiotherapists are often part of a multidisciplinary treatment plan for children with headaches. The literature on physical therapeutic diagnostics and management of headaches is often focused on adults. To gain insight, identify knowledge gaps, and increase the evidence needed for clinical physical therapeutic practice with children with headaches, an exploratory method is warranted. The purpose of this study was to describe the views, beliefs, and experiences of physical therapists regarding diagnostics and treatment options for children with headaches. The method consisted of a survey and two peer consultation group meetings. A total of 195 individual surveys were returned and 31 out of 47 peer consultation groups participated. Most participants were specialized in pediatric physical therapy (93.3%). They use the 4P-factor model (predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, and protective factors) as a guiding principle in the diagnostic and therapeutic process in children with headaches. This model helps to organize and to understand how a variety of factors interact in a biopsychosocial relationship. Pediatric physical therapists focus their treatments on factors interfering with movement and functional abilities of the child with headaches. Knowledge of how temporomandibular disfunction can relate to headaches is currently insufficient for pediatric physical therapists.