Effectiveness of Standing Frame on Constipation in Children With Cerebral Palsy

N/ACompletedNCT01911559

Stefania Costi1 enrolled

Overview

Children with Cerebral Palsy and quadriplegia or severe diplegia suffer from highly reduced mobility and consequent constipation. Clinicians frequently recommend standing-frames to exercise the support reaction in this population, sharing the opinion that the upright position may facilitate intestinal transit, although no evidence supports this assumption. The investigators conducted this single-subject research to determine the effects of the standing-frame on the frequency of evacuation in chronically constipated children with CP and quadriplegia. Moreover, the investigators studied its effects on the frequency of induction of evacuation, the characteristics of the stool and the pain suffered by the child due to constipation and/or evacuation.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy Quadriplegia Diplegia Constipation

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 3 YearsMax age: 17 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion criteria were: * clinical indication for the use of the standing-frame; * constipation problems as defined by guidelines (Clinical Practice Guideline, 2006); * whose parents gave the informed consent to let their child to participate in this study. Exclusion criteria were: * children who have orthosympathetic reactions to the upright position, skeletal deformities and/or medical conditions that, according to clinical judgment, advise against the use of the standing frame.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

bowel evacuation frequency

Using a daily-diary where the caregivers collect the data about the bowel evacuation frequency

Time frame: 14 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Bowel evacuation inductions frequency

Using a daily-diary where the caregivers collect the data about the bowel evacuation inductions frequency