The period between 1997 and 2004 marked a shift toward activity-based, function-focused rehabilitation in pediatric physical therapy, emphasizing early, intensive interventions to improve motor outcomes. The field increasingly integrated surgical and rehabilitative strategies, as illustrated by the combination of selective posterior rhizotomy with intensive physiotherapy, which reshaped cerebral palsy management toward functional gains. The adoption of standardized outcome measures and patient-reported outcomes enabled meaningful cross-study comparisons and informed clinical decision-making.