Blog 18 - Answer 2

1. What is your EQ?

• What is the most important factor in ensuring that a child born with limitations reaches his/her full physical potential?

2. What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format)

• The most important factor in ensuring that a child born with limitations reaches his/her full physical potential is active parent participation.

3. What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)

• The most important factor in ensuring that a child born with limitations reaches his/her full physical potential is a strong relationship between the PT and the child.

4. List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.

• Trust: the patient needs to be able to trust the PT at all times. If the child does not trust the PT, more than likely the patient (keeping in mind is a child) will be scared and not comfortable around the PT. This makes sessions, exercises, etc. so much harder and will not let the child reach his/her full physical potential. I have seen this first hand at my mentorship and it shows that if the patient trusts and is comfortable with the PT, it is much easier for the PT to do their job.
• Fun: because this is pediatric physical therapy, physical therapy needs to be fun at all times. The patient will not do the work they are suppose to if they are not having a good time. This "fun" really acts like their motivation to do their exercises and stretches. They don't see it as work, but rather, "fun" and are much more inclined to reach their full physical potential if they have fun! I have seen this first hand at my mentorship and my mentor really urges to make sure she is having fun with her patient. 
• Communication: it's very common for a pediatric PT patient to have a disorder of some kind and that may include disorders that hinder their ability to communicate. However, this does not mean they do not understand what you are saying. It is very important to tell the patient what you are doing to them and be very verbal during the sessions. At my mentorship, there is not a time where my mentor does not talk to her patient. There is a constant exchange of words or sounds and that makes the PT experience all the more successful.

5. What printed source best supports your answer?

• Buckland, Melanie, and Maureen Suhr. "The Physical Therapist- Patient Relationship Through the Years." HSS: The Playbook. N.p., 29 Aug. 2014. Web. 1 Oct. 2015. <https://www.hss.edu/playbook/the-physical-therapist-patient-relationship-through-the-years/#.Vg4Zb_nBzGc>.

6. What other source supports your answer?

• Andrus, Brooke. "5 Reasons Patient Engagement Is the Path to Optimal Outcomes." WebPT. WebPT, 13 Oct. 2015. Web. 30 Oct. 2015. <https://www.webpt.com/blog/post/5-reasons-patient-engagement-is-the-path-to-optimal-outcomes>.

7. Tie this together with a concluding thought. 

• Overall, I picked a good relationship between the PT and the patient as my second answer because it is especially important in pediatric physical therapy. Communication and trust can be answers on its own; however, they all embody a strong relationship. If the PT and the patient have a strong relationship, the patient is more than likely to do their exercises, stretches, listen, etc. This will ensure that a child born with limitations reaches his/her full physical potential.