Facts About Alaska Pediatric Therapy

By Arthur Martin


Pediatric therapy is a branch in the medicine profession which deals with caring for children. Medical practitioners in this field are called pediatric therapists and they provide medical services to children with special needs in various settings including homes, outpatient clinics, and in-patient units. They manage and treat pre-existing medical conditions, disease-related conditions and injuries. In Alaska pediatric therapy is one of the most developed medical fields and it has many practitioners who specialize in it.

Pediatric therapists specialize in providing medical care to patients up to 18 years of age from birth. Young adults, children, teenagers, and toddlers are typical patients. Causes for the conditions the practitioners handle are many and varied. They include genetic, neurological, and orthopedic disorders. Functional training, diet changes, exercise, and medication are among treatment techniques used. Combination of various techniques may be applied as dictated by the situation of the patient.

Immobility is often associated with medical conditions that cause pain. These practitioners have training and experience in equipment that help to alleviate the pain. Per week, they work for up to 40 hours. Weekends and holidays may also be interrupted by emergency situations while evenings may be extended too due to work.

Being emotionally strong and possessing the ability to handle stress well is an important part of this job. Stress and emotions emanate from frustrations that patients face due to the conditions they suffer from. Good communication skills are also mandatory since one has to communicate to family members concerning treatment options available for the patient. One can be employed in hospitals, research facilities, private medical facilities, and private practice.

Part of the qualification process in this profession requires one to have a doctorate degree. The degree typically takes three years to complete. One must ensure that the academic institution they earn the degree from is accredited. Accreditation of institutions in this field is usually given by the American Physical Therapy Association. State regulatory bodies also exist in various states. There are specializations and minors within the profession too.

During training, learners cover courses in anatomy, radiology, physiology, biology, pathology, behavioral science, exercise physiology, and pharmacology among many others. Completing internship, assistantship or some other supervised program is part of the qualification process. Different states have varying requirements for licensing. Generally, however, the National Physical Therapy Examination must be passed before licensure. Regular renewal of the license is also mandatory through fulfillment of continuing educational requirements.

This field also has several specialties in which practitioners can specialize. Physical therapy and occupational therapy are some of those subspecialties. Practitioners can choose one or multiple subspecialties to specialize in. Compared to fresh graduates, experienced and more learned practitioners earn higher salaries. In the United States, salaries are regulated centrally.

There is an observation of an upward trend of job availability in this trend. The industry is expected to grow by 29-36 percent up to 2022 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US. As of 2012, median salary for physical and occupational therapists was 79, 860 and 75, 400 dollar respectively.




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