Listen "Episode 14 (Loren West, Marissa Smith, Georgia Hoffman, Dr Dayna Pool)"
Episode Synopsis
A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH RESEARCHERS AND CLINICIANSA special Q and A - in conjunction with families and parentsThis is a unique podcast as we hit pause on our usual program to answer questions that families have been sending us. On the pod this week, we have Marissa Smith (Physiotherapist), Georgia Hoffman (Physiotherapist), Loren West (Occupational Therapist) and Dr Dayna Pool (Physiotherapist).How we actually put all the knowledge into practice is a big and important question. Even if we have all the knowledge available, unless we know how we can implement research findings and recommendations into real life settings, the knowledge isn’t particularly useful!Parents and children have great questions because ultimately, they want to be able to make informed decisions that enable the best possible outcome. This podcast is so important as we answer the most common questions that have been sent to us. Clearly, these questions are meaningful to families and this round table discussion of experienced health professionals provides the thought processes involved in making decisions that optimise outcomes by using the best available evidence. The key is that individualised care is at the core - each person is different, with a different set of circumstances and goals. Making decisions should always be based on the best available evidence and as you’ll hear from our conversation - there is no such thing as a one size fits all but, there are some very clear considerations in developing the best possible therapy program and recommendations for care. If we are evidence based, we are ultimately fulfilling our ethical obligations as health professionals in optimising care and minimising harm. This was made so incredibly clear in Professor Iona Novak and Professor Andrew Whitehouse’s podcast earlier in the season. So we hope you enjoy this special episode as the panel discusses the clinical decision making process within the best available evidence for the following questions:When do you wear AFOs and is it ok to take them off?What surgeries to muscles would you expect children with cerebral palsy would need?I have a wheelchair and walking frame but I can’t bring them around everywhere. So sometimes the wheelchair is at home, a walker at school but he likes to crawl around at home. How do I strike the right balance?There are so many walkers out there. How do I choose a walker that is right for my child?How do I know what therapies to pick?
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