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Ride-on car training using sitting and standing postures for mobility and socialization in young children with motor
Hsiang-Han Huang1,2, Yu-Hsin Hsieh1,3, Ching-Hao Chang1,4
1Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Purpose:
To examine the effects of ride-on car (ROC) training using different postures on mobility and social function in children with motor delays in comparison with conventional therapy.
Materials And Methods:
Thirty-eight children (22 males, 16 females) with motor delays were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups: ROC training while sitting (ROC-Sit, n = 15; mean age, 20.25 months; standard deviation [SD], 5.29), ROC training while standing (ROC-Stand, n = 12; mean age, 24.80 months; SD, 8.42), and conventional therapy (control, n = 11; mean age: 20.25 months, SD: 5.37). All groups underwent 2-h training sessions twice weekly over a 12-week intervention phase. The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory and Goal Attainment Scaling were performed before and after the intervention and at follow-up sessions after 12 weeks.
Results:
Mobility and goal achievement improved significantly in all groups after the intervention (p < 0.001; p < 0.0001). However, social function improved significantly only in the ROC-Stand group (p = 0.001), which had the highest number of participants showing clinically meaningful changes in mobility and social function.
Conclusion:
Increased practice and caregivers' involvement can improve children's mobility and goal achievement. Adopting a standing posture in an ROC can enhance social function.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONProviding active exploratory experience through ride-on cars or practicing specific skills can improve children's mobility function.Ride-on car training in a standing posture allows children to access their distal environment visually, resulting in improved social function.Setting goals with caregivers maximizes the effects of treatment on goal achievement.
