Self-produced locomotion often is limited in children with cerebral palsy and other conditions that cause severe motor impairments. As a result, these children may be at risk for secondary impairments in spatial cognition, communication, social development, and other domains influenced by independent mobility. To compensate, power mobility has increasingly been advocated for young children with severe motor impairments. The study hypotheses were: 1. Children with severe disabilities that prevent independent locomotion who learn to use power mobility devices when they are 14- to 30-months-of-age will have greater communication, social, and cognitive development over a 12-month period, and will demonstrate more competent coping skills than children with the same characteristics who do not use power mobility. 2. Parents of children who use power mobility will view it as a positive influence on their children's lives, and will perceive their children's development to be more mature than the parents of children who do not use power mobility will perceive their children's development.
More extensive description is not desired.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
34
Children used power wheelchairs for one year. They continued to receive their usual early intervention services.
Children in the control group did not use power wheelchairs. They continued to receive their usual early intervention services.
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory
Items measure mobility, self-care, and social function using a 2-point scale (0 = unable or limited ability; 1 = capable in most situations). Items measure caregiver assistance on a 6-point scale (0 = total assistance; 5 = independent). We used the change in scaled scores in each area and total scores for analyses. Worst possible scaled score is 0 and the best possible score is 100.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 months
Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI)
Items measure adaptive, cognitive, communication, motor, and personal-social development using 3-point ordinal scales (0 = does not complete; 1 = partially completes; 2 = completes item). We used change in age equivalent scores for each area and the total scores for analyses. The worst possible scores are 0 months age equivalent and the best possible scores are 95 months age equivalent.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 months
Early Coping Inventory
We used the reactive and self-initiated behavior scales. We used change in raw scores for analyses. The worst possible raw score for each scale is 16 and the best possible score is 80.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 months
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