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Effectiveness of wheeled mobility skill interventions in children and young people with cerebral palsy: A systematic
Mari Naaris1, Saranda Bekteshi1, Maria Aufheimer2
1Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Neurorehabilitation Technology Lab, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Bruges, Belgium.
Insights
Wheeled mobility interventions positively impact mobility skills, activity, and quality of life in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Further research with standardized training is recommended to enhance skill acquisition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Assistive Technology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) affects motor function, necessitating interventions for mobility.
- Wheeled mobility devices are crucial for independence in children and young people with CP.
Conclusions:
- Wheeled mobility interventions offer promising benefits for individuals with CP.
- Structured and standardized training programs are essential for optimizing skill acquisition.
- More high-quality research is needed to fully understand intervention effects on participation and quality of life.
Aim:
To systematically review the effectiveness of wheeled mobility interventions in children and young people with cerebral palsy (CP).
Method:
A systematic literature search was performed in MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EBSCO, PEDro, and Web of Science using database-specific concepts such as 'child' and 'wheelchair'. Studies focusing on wheeled mobility skill interventions with participants aged 6 to 21 years with CP were included.
Results:
Twenty studies with 203 participants were included. The impact of wheeled mobility skill interventions was assessed on mobility skills (n = 18), activity and participation (n = 10), and quality of life (n = 3). No studies reported effects on stress, fatigue, and motivational aspects. Interventions included power wheelchair skill training (n = 12), computer-based training (n = 5), smart wheelchair training (n = 2), and manual wheelchair training (n = 1), showing positive wheeled mobility intervention effects. Study quality based on the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies scale was 9 out of 16 and 14 out of 24 for non-comparative and comparative studies respectively. Risk of bias was serious-to-critical on the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions.
Interpretation:
Wheeled mobility interventions showed promising beneficial effects on wheeled mobility, activity and participation, and quality of life for children and young people with CP. Future studies with structured and standardized training programmes and assessment tools are warranted to further accelerate the wheeled mobility skill acquisition process in this population.
What This Paper Adds:
Wheeled mobility interventions improve wheeled mobility skills in individuals with cerebral palsy. The mobility skill acquisition process benefits from structured and standardized training. Knowledge of the intervention effects on participation and quality of life is limited. Most studies had moderate quality of evidence because of methodological limitations.
