A pilot study of children and parents experiences of the use of a new assistive device, the electro suit Mollii

Figures & data

Figure 1. A child wearing the suit while playing

Table 1. Participating children and their parents

Subject	Age	GMFCS-level*	Time since last Botox treatment	Examples of goals- be able to;	Participating parent
1	10	II	3 months	Run with club and ball when playing floor-ball	Father
2	7	I	5 months	Catch up with friends to the dining room	Father and mother
3	7	I	3 months	Somersault to standing position	Mother
4	5	I	5 months	Skate and slide	Father
5	10	I	>12 months	Stretch the muscles without pain	Mother
6	7	I	3 months	Wiggle the toes with both feet	Mother

*Gross motor function Classification System (GMFCS) (Palisano et al., 1997) classifies limitations in gross motor function at five severity levels, from I with least limitations to V with most limitations.

Table 2. Example of a meaning- unit, condensed meaning- unit, code, and category from the content analysis of the interviews held with children and parents

Meaning unit	Condensed meaning unit	Code	Category
I can feel it, I have become much stronger…I can do things where you have to be stronger…things I showed you before (child)	Feeling stronger and being able to do things	Feeling strong	The suits impact on image
We have experienced that … the greatest change is that he doesn´t have pain any more at night. He has had problems with pain at night … especially in the left leg but also in the right leg and I can say that it has decreased. The last month he has not been having any pain at all (parent)	The greatest change is that he doesn´t have pain in his legs any more	Being pain free	Changes that make a difference
But once again it is a child in this situation…and the botox is good if there is no other possibility.But for those who are just barely able to walk and be independent this one [the suit] can help them further, it’s worth so much (parent)	Botox is good but the suit can help them further	The pro and cons of Botox	Dealing with a desire for change

Table 3. Illustration of results

Category	Subcategories
The suits impact on image	Feeling like a superhero Expectations and fear of appearing different
Changes that make a difference	Experiences of a strong and pain free body Experiences of a participating and performing body
Dealing with a desire for change	A medical “quick fix” A family worry

Palisano, R., Rosenbaum, P., Walter, S., Russell, D., Wood, E., & Galuppi, B. (1997). Gross motor function classification system (GMFCS). Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 39, 214–223.

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