A comparative exploration of the thoughts of parents and therapists regarding seating equipment for children with multiple and complex needs

Abstract

Purpose. We investigated the opinions of parents and therapists of children using adaptive seating systems in order to understand their common areas of interest or disagreement.

Method. Parents and therapists participated in answering a questionnaire regarding their child's response to, and comfort in their individual adaptive seating system. The children all had a motor disorder involving all four limbs and did not have verbal communication skills. Questionnaire was analysed using non-parametric statistics for quantitative questions and by keyword analysis of qualitative questions. The results were then further categorized into the domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Results. Parents and therapists showed differences in key areas: Parents concentrated on personal and environmental factors to explain their satisfaction or otherwise of the chair, whereas therapists concentrated on body function and structures; to the exclusion of all other domains of seated function.

Conclusions. Based on these findings, we suggest further investigation of these seating systems, concentrating on the activity and participation of the children themselves, although considering all domains of functioning.

Keywords:

• Disabled children
• wheelchairs
• postural management
• ICF