Article

Understanding family priorities for children and youth with cerebral
palsy is essential for family-centered service.
The purposes of this
study were: (1) to identify family priorities for activity and participation in
children and youth with cerebral palsy and (2) to determine differences based on
age and Gross Motor Functional Classification System (GMFCS) level. DESIGN: Five
hundred eighty-five children and youth with cerebral palsy and their caregivers
participated at regional children's hospitals. The children and youth were 2 to
21 years of age; 56% were male, and 44% were female. Their caregivers,
predominantly mothers (80%), had a mean age of 40.3 years (SD=9.3). The Canadian
Occupational Performance Measure was administered to caregivers to identify their
priorities for their children. The priorities were coded into 3 categories (daily
activities, productivity, and leisure) and 13 subcategories. The GMFCS levels
were determined by assessors who met the criterion for reliability. Friedman and
Kruskal-Wallis one-way analyses of variance were used to examine differences in
priorities. RESULTS: Parents of children in all age groups and GMFCS levels II to
V identified more priorities for daily activities. Parents of school-aged
children and youth had more priorities for productivity than parents of younger
children. For parents of children in all age groups and motor function levels,
self-care was the most frequent priority subcategory. Sixty-one percent of
parents identified at least one priority related to mobility. LIMITATIONS: The
study did not include qualitative analysis of priorities of parents. CONCLUSIONS:
Parents' priorities for their children and youth with cerebral palsy differed
depending on age and gross motor function level; however, the most frequent
priority for all age groups was daily activities. Interviews with families are
recommended for identifying outcomes for activity and participation and
developing an intervention plan.

Langue : ANGLAIS