Examination of balance is an important element of a
physical therapy evaluation for a school-age child. The clinician
must predict the ability of the child to safely and
independently function in a variety of environments (ie,
home, school, and community). Valid and reliable functional
balance measures are of critical importance if the
pediatric physical therapist is to justify that intervention is
warranted and demonstrate that improved balance function
has occurred as a result of intervention.
Traditionally, pediatric physical therapists have examined
balance through the observation of the underlying
elements of the balance response, timed measures of static