Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Optimizing Hand Crank Configuration For Therapeutic Use Of Amtrykes® For Children With Upper Extremity Motor Deficits, Jennifer Hardy

Theses and Dissertations

Objective

The purpose of this research study was to create a model to assist therapists, that determines the optimal positioning of the hand cranks when fitting a child for an AmTryke® with a disability that limits upper body strength, such as a brachial plexus injury.

Method

A fitting model was developed by testing the amount of force required to start moving the hand cranks on the AmTryke® when various amounts of weight were applied to the seat of the device. The data collected inserted into a table. A questionnaire developed and emailed to a convenient sample of pediatric physical and …

What Are The Relations Among Stress Perception, Health Perception And Activity Participation In School-Aged Children?, Allison Caplin

Honors Theses and Capstones

This correlational study examined possible relations among children’s activity patterns, perceived stress, and perceived health. A variety of self-report questionnaires were administered to a sample of 33 school age children. The Pediatric Activity Sort (PACS) was used to measure activity participation, a health questionnaire was used to assess health, and the Childhood Stress Questionnaire (CSQ) was used to measure perceived stress. Correlations showed no significant relationships between stress level and the amount of reported activity participation. The absence of significant relationships may be due to testing a sample of middle to upper class, Caucasian children, as there was a skewed …

Analysis Of Playground Equipment At Muskegon Public Schools: A Needs Assessment, Kailee Chandonnet,, Elizabeth Elam, Leah Lucas

Pediatrics

A local school district, Muskegon Public Schools, is restructuring due to budget constraints. Therapists at Muskegon Public Schools were concerned about the safety and accessibility of the current playgrounds. The purpose of this needs assessment was to determine if any of Muskegon Public Schools’ playgrounds met the students’ safety and accessibility needs. To determine this, the researchers created a checklist using the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Handbook on Public Playground Safety (1997) and the U.S. Access Board Summary of Accessibility Guidelines for Play Areas (2005). The checklist was then used to assess all nine Muskegon Public School playgrounds. None of …

The Sensory Processing Patterns And Activity Choices Of A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Mixed-Methods Case Study, Valerie Miller

Online Theses and Dissertations

It is estimated that up to 95% of children with autism spectrum disorder experience sensory processing problems. Minimal research is available on the relationship between specific sensory processing patterns, activity preference and behavior patterns in children. It is hypothesized that if children participate in play activities that support their sensory needs, they will experience less behavioral problems, more self-regulating behavior and a higher quality of life. This mixed-methods case study examines how a child with autism spectrum disorder participates in activities and looks at if those activities support sensory needs, thus reinforcing self-regulatory behaviors.