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Physical activity among young children with disabilities: a systematic review protocol
Leigh M Vanderloo1, Leah Taylor2, Julia Yates2
1School of Occupational Therapy, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada lvande32@uwo.ca.
Insights
This systematic review will examine physical activity levels in young children with disabilities. Findings will highlight research gaps and inform future studies on pediatric physical activity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Disability Studies
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Early physical activity is crucial for child development.
- Limited research exists on physical activity in young children with disabilities.
- Understanding these levels is vital for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize evidence on physical activity levels in children under six with disabilities.
- To identify current research gaps in this population.
- To inform future research and interventions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review protocol for quantitative studies on non-therapeutic physical activity in children <5.99 years with impairments.
- Comprehensive database searches (CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO, ERIC, EMBASE) and manual searching.
- Quality appraisal using Downs and Black checklist by three independent reviewers.
Main Results:
- This section will summarize findings from included studies.
- Data on study designs, participant characteristics, and physical activity outcomes will be presented.
- Evidence synthesis on physical activity prevalence and influencing factors will be provided.
Conclusions:
- The review will provide a comprehensive overview of physical activity in young children with disabilities.
- Identified gaps will guide future research priorities.
- Findings will support the development of tailored physical activity programs for this population.
Introduction:
Physical activity in the early years is necessary for setting the foundation for healthy growth and development in later childhood and adolescence. While most published evidence to date focuses on typically developing children, prevalence rates of physical activity among children with disabilities have been less studied. This protocol paper documents the plan of a systematic review, which aims to synthesise the evidence regarding physical activity levels among young children with disabilities.
Methods And Analysis:
Searches are anticipated to commence in May 2022. Empirical quantitative studies will be considered for inclusion if they present intervention or observational data on non-therapeutic (ie, leisure time) physical activity among children <5.99 years with physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments. Data sources will be retrieved via electronic database searches (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EBSCO Sports Medicine Database (SPORTDiscus), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Elsevier Bibliographic Database (Scopus), Psychological Abstracts (PsycINFO), Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC) and Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE)). Additional strategies to identify relevant studies will include manual searching and citation tracking of included articles. Titles and abstracts of identified studies will be screened for inclusion, followed by full-text reviews. Three independent reviewers will conduct quality appraisal using the Downs and Black checklist. A summary of included studies will describe the study designs, participant and activity characteristics, and outcomes.
Ethics And Dissemination:
This systematic review involves a secondary analysis of previously published data; therefore, this review does not require ethical approval. The proposed paper will summarise the current evidence base on physical activity levels among young children with a diagnosed disability. The findings from this systematic review will identify gaps to be explored by future research studies and inform future investigations among the paediatric disability population.
Prospero Registration Number:
CRD42021266585.
