Birth to 12 Months Pediatric Physical Therapy Evaluation Guide | Infant Milestones, Primitive Reflex Chart & Red Flags

The Birth–12 Month Pediatric PT Evaluation Guide is a structured clinical reference designed to help physical therapy students and clinicians feel confident during infant evaluations.

This guide walks you step by step through how to evaluate newborns and infants 12 months and younger in outpatient pediatric and Early Intervention settings. Rather than memorizing isolated milestone charts, you’ll learn how to organize findings, interpret impairments, and connect your evaluation to a clear plan of care.

Whether you are preparing for a pediatric clinical rotation, starting your first outpatient pediatric job, or working in Early Intervention, this resource provides a practical framework for infant physical therapy assessment.

Inside this guide, you’ll learn how to:

• Conduct a thorough pediatric subjective examination
• Perform a structured infant objective assessment
• Assess tone (hypotonia, hypertonia, dystonia)
• Screen primitive reflexes and interpret their functional impact
• Evaluate cervical range of motion and screen for torticollis
• Identify gross motor milestone expectations from birth to 12 months
• Recognize pediatric red flags
• Write clear PT diagnosis and prognosis statements
• Develop impairment-based, functional treatment plans
• Understand the structure of Early Intervention (Part C, IFSP overview)

This pediatric physical therapy evaluation guide emphasizes clinical reasoning, functional impact, and caregiver communication.

It is applicable to infant evaluations in both outpatient pediatric clinics and Early Intervention settings, helping bridge the gap between textbook knowledge and real-world documentation.

If you’ve ever felt unsure during an infant evaluation, this guide provides a clear roadmap so you can walk into the room structured, prepared, and confident.

What This Guide Covers

✔️ Developmental milestones from newborn to 12 months
✔️ Age-specific gross motor expectations
✔️ Primitive reflex integration timelines
✔️ Red flags in infant development
✔️ Key observations during a pediatric PT evaluation
✔️ Structured framework for documenting findings

Instead of flipping between lecture slides, textbooks, and scattered notes, this guide gives you a clear developmental roadmap you can reference quickly during pediatric rotations or while studying for boards.

Who This Is For

This pediatric physical therapy study guide is ideal for:

• PT students preparing for pediatric clinical rotations
• PTA students reviewing infant development
• New grads or practicing PTs treating infants for the first time
• Students studying pediatric milestones for the NPTE

It is designed as a quick reference tool, not a textbook replacement, helping you think through evaluations with structure and confidence.