Sunday, April 24, 2016

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 have a specialty in providing care to patients from birth up to the age of 18 years. Patients may be toddlers, teenagers, young adults, or children. The conditions they treat are related to neurological, orthopedic, and genetic disorders. Some of the techniques employed as part of the treatment include functional training, exercise, medication, and diet changes. These methods are combined according to the needs to the patient in question.

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.

As part of the requirements for the job, one must be able to handle stress and remain emotionally strong in different situations. Frustrations of the patients as a result of their conditions are a major sources of emotional breakdown. In addition to that, one must also be a good communicator because communication skills are necessary for communicating options for treatment to patients and other parties. Research facilities, private practice, private medical facilities, and hospitals are possible places of employment.

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.

Some of the common courses covered during training include anatomy, radiology, pathology, behavioral science, physiology, biology, pharmacology, and exercise physiology among others. Qualification involves completing some supervised work through assistantship or internship. Requirements for licensing may vary from state to state. However, generally, one must complete the National Physical Therapy Examination. Licenses must also be renewed after every few years by fulfilling 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 observed upward trend in employment opportunities of therapists in this field. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics approximates that a growth of between 29 and 36 percent will be experienced up to 2022. Occupational and physical therapists earned a median salary of 75, 400 and 79, 860 dollars in that order.




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