If you searched for "CPTE paediatric practice questions," "PCE peds sample questions," or "CAPR paediatrics questions," here are real ones to attempt. (The PCE and CPTE are the same national exam — CAPR's Physiotherapy Competency Examination — so these apply whichever term you searched.)
Paediatrics on the CPTE tests developmental milestones, standardized assessment, and the management of conditions like cerebral palsy and DDH. Below are six paediatric questions pulled directly from the CAPR-aligned PhysioExamPrep bank, each with the correct answer and a full rationale.
How to use these: cover the answer, commit to a choice, and explain why the other options are wrong before you reveal it. Read the rationale even when you're right.
Question 1 — Standardized assessment
A 7-month-old cannot sit independently and "C-curves" the spine and falls forward when placed in sitting. Which standardized assessment tool is the most appropriate gold standard in Canada to quantify this child's motor delay?
- A. AIMS (Alberta Infant Motor Scale).
- B. GMFM-88 (Gross Motor Function Measure).
- C. Berg Balance Scale.
- D. DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand).
Answer: A — AIMS (Alberta Infant Motor Scale).
The AIMS is the Canadian standard for assessing infants from birth to independent walking. It is observational and highly sensitive for detecting delays in prone, supine, sitting, and standing. The GMFM is specifically for children with cerebral palsy.
Question 2 — Developmental dysplasia of the hip
A physiotherapist performs the Ortolani test on a 3-week-old with suspected DDH. What constitutes a POSITIVE Ortolani test and what does it indicate?
- A. A click felt during hip adduction indicating iliopsoas tightness.
- B. A clunk felt as the femoral head slides back into the acetabulum during hip abduction, indicating a dislocated hip that can be reduced.
- C. Resistance to hip flexion beyond 90 degrees indicating acetabular dysplasia.
- D. Lateral knee pain with valgus stress indicating ligamentous laxity.
Answer: B — A clunk as the femoral head relocates into the acetabulum during abduction (a reducible dislocated hip).
The Ortolani manoeuvre tests for a dislocated hip that can be reduced: with the infant supine, the hip is flexed to 90° and gently abducted while lifting the greater trochanter, and a positive test is a palpable clunk as the femoral head relocates. The Barlow test is the complementary test that attempts to dislocate a reducible hip. Both are most reliable in the first few weeks of life.
Question 3 — Postural reactions
A 5-month-old is assessed in prone. The physiotherapist lifts and tilts the infant laterally; the head rights to vertical and the trunk curves toward the raised side. What does this response indicate?
- A. This is an abnormal response indicating delayed postural development.
- B. This is a normal equilibrium reaction in prone, typically present by 5–6 months.
- C. This represents an integrated tonic labyrinthine reflex.
- D. This indicates an exaggerated ATNR response.
Answer: B — A normal equilibrium reaction in prone, typically present by 5–6 months.
Equilibrium reactions in prone typically emerge at 5–6 months, with the head righting to vertical and the trunk curving laterally. This indicates intact vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive integration, and is age-appropriate at 5 months.
Question 4 — Positioning for development
A therapist is using "Prone on Elbows" positioning with a 4-month-old. What is the primary neurological benefit of this position for future motor development?
- A. It reduces heart rate.
- B. It facilitates cervical extension and shoulder-girdle stability, which are prerequisites for reaching, sitting, and crawling.
- C. It strengthens the calves.
- D. It facilitates the ATNR reflex.
Answer: B — It facilitates cervical extension and shoulder-girdle stability.
Prone on elbows is the foundation of anti-gravity control. It lets the infant explore from a higher vantage point and develops proprioceptive feedback from the upper extremities — prerequisites for reaching, sitting, and crawling.
Question 5 — GMFCS
A child is classified as GMFCS Level III. What is the typical primary mode of mobility for a Level III child in the community setting?
- A. Using a manual or power wheelchair for long distances, even if they can walk short distances indoors with a device.
- B. Running.
- C. Crawling.
- D. Walking with a walker.
Answer: A — A manual or power wheelchair for long distances, even if they walk short distances indoors with a device.
Level III is the "in-between" level: these children walk indoors with a hand-held mobility device but usually lack the endurance and speed for community distances, so they use a wheelchair for community participation.
Question 6 — Medical management (baclofen pump)
A child with an Intrathecal Baclofen (ITB) pump suddenly becomes extremely drowsy, with shallow breathing and low muscle tone. What should the PT suspect, and what is the emergency priority?
- A. Baclofen withdrawal; call 911 for seizures.
- B. The child is just having a good nap.
- C. Orthostatic hypotension.
- D. Baclofen overdose/toxicity; this is a medical emergency requiring immediate hospitalization and potential pump shut-off.
Answer: D — Baclofen overdose/toxicity; a medical emergency.
Drowsiness, respiratory depression, and limpness (hypotonia) indicate too much drug is entering the CSF. Withdrawal is the opposite picture: sudden high fever, itchy skin, and massive rebound spasticity.
Keep practising
The full PhysioExamPrep bank is CAPR-aligned for the 2026 CPTE and covers paediatrics in depth — milestones, reflexes, cerebral palsy, DDH, and neuromuscular conditions — with the same answer-and-rationale format. Start practising for free (a daily allowance, no card required) and track accuracy by topic. Premium — a one-time CA$49, valid for two years — unlocks unlimited practice, Written-section mock exams, and Oral-section case practice.