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Systematic review of early intervention programmes for children from birth to nine years who have a physical
Jenny Ziviani1, Rachel Feeney, Sylvia Rodger
1Division of Occupational Therapy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. j.ziviani@uq.edu.au
Insights
Early intervention programs for children with physical disabilities show positive results for families. However, study limitations prevent a thorough analysis of findings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Developmental Disabilities
Background:
- Early intervention is crucial for children with physical disabilities.
- Evidence on the effectiveness of these programs needs systematic evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of early intervention programs for children with physical disabilities.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive search of twelve electronic databases was conducted for articles published between 1990 and April 2008.
- Article quality was assessed using an adapted Checklist for the Evaluation of Research Articles and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale.
Main Results:
- Ten studies were included in the review.
- Methodological quality varied, with non-randomized control trials being of moderate-to-high quality.
- Significant heterogeneity was observed in participants, interventions, and outcome measures across studies.
Conclusions:
- Early intervention programs demonstrate positive outcomes for children with physical disabilities and their families.
- Methodological limitations across the reviewed studies hinder a more rigorous and comprehensive analysis of the findings.
Aim:
To systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of early intervention programmes for children with physical disabilities.
Methods:
Twelve electronic databases were searched for articles published between 1990 and April 2008. The quality of articles was appraised using an adapted version of the Checklist for the Evaluation of Research Articles and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale.
Results:
Ten studies were included in the review. Cross-sectional and interrupted time-series studies were of moderate methodological quality, whereas the non-randomised control trial was of moderate-to-high methodological quality. Studies differed considerably with respect to participants, types of intervention and outcomes measured.
Conclusions:
Positive outcomes for both children and families have resulted from early intervention. However, methodological limitations hamper a more rigorous analysis of findings across studies.
