Usability of the dynamic scaffolding system: an adaptive mobility device in children with special needs

Maintaining vertical position and moving are essential to healthy development. Children with motor difficulties may need assistive devices to stand upright or move. The Dynamic Scaffolding System (DSS) device was developed to support these skills. This study aims to explain the DSS's developmental stages, compare the device's usage times based on diagnoses and motor impairment, and investigate the degree of satisfaction among parents of children using the device.

The study included children with difficulty standing or stepping and their parents. We compared usage times of DSS depending on diagnosis (cerebral palsy (CP) or other diagnoses) and motor impairment levels. We assessed parental satisfaction by using the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0) and recorded adverse events.

The ages of the participants (n:100) were between 9 and 108 months (44.94 ± 17.59), and 60% of the children had CP, and 40% had other diagnoses (genetic, metabolic, neuromuscular diseases). The duration of daily use of DSS ranged from 44.17 (±26.16) to 110 (±97.98) minutes, and the duration was similar among children at different levels of motor impairment (p = 0.262). The parents were most satisfied with the size, simplicity of use, and effectiveness, and they were least satisfied with the ease of adjustment, safety, and durability. They did not report any adverse events during the study.

DSS can be considered a useable assistive device option for children with CP and other diagnoses with difficulty standing or stepping and a satisfactory device for parents of such children.