Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-term impact of 2 adaptive seating devices on the
activity performance and satisfaction with performance of children with cerebral
palsy (CP), as observed by their parents. DESIGN: Baseline-intervention-baseline
study. SETTING: Homes of participating families. PARTICIPANTS: Parents and their
children (N=30), mean age of 4 years 6 months, with Gross Motor Function
Classification System levels III and IV CP participated. INTERVENTIONS: Two
special purpose seating devices: one for sitting support on the floor or on a
chair, the other for postural control on a toilet. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes
in activity performance and satisfaction were measured through parent ratings on
the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. We interviewed parents biweekly
using the Home Activity Log to describe and explain their child's activity
performance during the 3 study phases. RESULTS: Parents identified 139 activity
performance issues (4.6 a child): 58.3% in self-care, 34.5% in play, and 7.2% in
socialization and quiet recreation. We used paired t tests to demonstrate
significantly improved performance and satisfaction with self-care and play
activities when the children used the adaptive seating devices during the 6-week
intervention phase. Three themes arose from the analysis of comments made by
parents during Home Activity Log interviews: adaptive seating can have an
enabling influence on the child, caregivers and family find adaptive seating
useful, and the adaptive seating devices did not meet every family's needs.
CONCLUSIONS: Parents reported that their young children with CP were more able to
engage in self-care and play activities when using specific adaptive seating
devices in their home. Parents indicated that their child's activity performance
decreased after the seating devices were removed from their homes.

Langue : ANGLAIS