Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of a six-month physical activity stimulation
programme on social participation, self-perception and quality of life in
children with cerebral palsy. DESIGN: Multicentre randomized controlled trial
with concealed allocation, blinded assessments and intention-to-treat analysis.
SETTING: Paediatric physiotherapy practices, special schools for children with a
disability, and the child's own home. SUBJECTS: Forty-nine children with spastic
cerebral palsy (28 male), aged 7-13 years, able to walk with and without walking
aids. INTERVENTIONS: The intervention group followed a six-month physical
activity stimulation programme involving counselling through motivational
interviewing, home-based physiotherapy and four months of fitness training. The
control group continued regular paediatric physiotherapy. MAIN MEASURES: Outcomes
included social participation in domestic life, social participation in
recreation and leisure (Life-Habits for Children questionnaire and Children's
Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment questionnaire), self-perception
(Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Children) and parent-reported quality of
life (Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire). Assessments were performed
at baseline, at six months (except quality of life) and at twelve months.
RESULTS: Intervention resulted in a positive effect on social participation in
domestic life at twelve months (mean between-group difference = 0.9, 95%
confidence interval (CI) = 0.1 to 1.7 [1-10 scale], P = 0.03), but not at six
months. No significant effects were found for social participation in recreation
and leisure, self-perception at six months and twelve months or for quality of
life at twelve months. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of counselling, home-based
physiotherapy and fitness training was not effective in improving social
participation in recreation and leisure, self-perception or quality of life, but
did show a potential for improving social participation in domestic life over the
longer term.
CI - (c) The Author(s) 2013.

Langue : ANGLAIS