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Parental Perceptions of Physical Therapy Use Among Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-Synthesis
Maggie Dumsile Dlamini1,2, Ying-Ju Chang3, Zama Mkhonta1,4
1Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Insights
Parents view physical therapy as crucial for children with cerebral palsy (CP), highlighting its benefits and the need for strong partnerships and clear communication. Addressing challenges in service delivery and family adjustments is key to successful CP treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is the leading cause of childhood motor disability, often accompanied by conditions like epilepsy and spasticity.
- CP results from non-progressive brain injury during fetal development or infancy, impacting motor function and posture.
- Physical therapy is a primary intervention for CP, aiming to alleviate muscle stiffness, reduce pain, and enhance mobility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize qualitative evidence on parental perceptions of physical therapy for children with cerebral palsy (CP).
Main Methods:
- A systematic search of four databases (CINAHL, Embase, OVID Medline, ERIC) was conducted in March 2023.
- Eight qualitative studies, published between 1990 and 2022, involving 150 participants were included.
- Content thematic analysis was employed to synthesize findings from critically appraised studies.
Main Results:
- Physical therapy is perceived as an essential treatment for CP, yielding numerous positive outcomes.
- Successful physical therapy relies on establishing realistic partnerships between therapists and families.
- Effective communication and addressing challenges in service delivery and family adaptation are vital.
Conclusions:
- Parents view physical therapy as an ideal treatment for children with CP, offering hope for improved futures.
- Clear communication regarding therapy goals and active parental involvement in care planning are essential for compliance.
- Parents emphasize the importance of collaborative relationships and transparent communication in optimizing physical therapy outcomes for children with cerebral palsy.
Background:
Cerebral palsy (CP), the most common cause of childhood motor disability, is often associated with comorbidities such as epilepsy and spasticity. CP is a heterogeneous group of disorders attributed to the nonprogressive injury of the developing brain during fetal life or infancy affecting posture and movement. Physical therapy, the most important current intervention for CP, targets the relief of muscle stiffness, reduction of perceived pain, and improvement of patient mobility.
Purpose:
This study was designed to synthesize the qualitative evidence on the perceptions of parents regarding the utilization of physical therapy in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy.
Methods:
Four electronic databases, including CINAHL, Embase, OVID Medline, and ERIC, were searched for relevant qualitative studies in March 2023. The included studies were critically appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program tool for qualitative research by 2 independent reviewers, and a content thematic approach was used to synthesize the qualitative findings.
Results:
The 8 studies published between 1990 and 2022 included in this review covered data from 150 participants. The 47 findings extracted from these studies were grouped into 11 subthemes and finally into the following 4 synthesized themes: (1) physical therapy is an essential treatment with many positive outcomes, (2) the success of physical therapy depends on realistic partnerships, (3) honest and organized communication flow is critical, and (4) key challenges in physical therapy include service delivery, personal and family adjustments.
Conclusions:
Overall, the parents in the included studies perceived physical therapy as an ideal treatment associated with many positive outcomes for their children with disabilities and as a source of hope for their children's future. Notably, the parents required clear information on the goals of therapy from the outset and to be involved in all care planning to promote therapy compliance.
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