Diagnosis and referrals to physical therapy among caregivers of children with genetic disorders: a qualitative inquiry.

The results of this study could indicate that more efforts are required to expedite and elucidate the identification and referral of children with genetic disorders in Saudi Arabia.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThe process of referring children with genetic disorders to physical therapy (PT) is not clearly understood by caregivers. Providing caregivers with information about the benefits of PT for children with genetic disorders is needed to encourage adherence to PT sessions and rehabilitation plan.Caregivers expressed the need for further education on the wide spectrum of genetic disorders.Caregivers experienced costly and lengthy genetic testing process that often lead to inconclusive results which could delay the referral process. Alternative solutions should be considered to provide these children with early access to rehabilitation services including PT. One of these solutions could be implementing regular screening and monitoring as well as parent education to aid in detecting delays and expedite the referral process.