Assessment and treatment of the child with mental retardation. Guidelines for the public school therapist.

Physical therapists employed in public schools may be responsible for the evaluation and treatment of not only physically handicapped children, but also children who have moderate to severe motor disabilities secondary to mental retardation. The purpose of this article is to suggest appropriate assessment and treatment techniques for these children. General principles of intervention based on neurophysiologic treatment approaches, particularly sensory integration, are described. Examples of specific assessment and treatment strategies are given for visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory-gustatory, proprioceptive-kinesthetic, and vestibular functions. In addition, self-stimulatory behaviors, tests of motor and reflex development, problems in muscle tone and strength, and variations in gait patterns are discussed.