Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Hippotherapy Within Physical Therapy Treatment: Helping Patients With Cerebral Palsy Achieve Functional Goals, Grace Kucienski

Honors Capstones

Hippotherapy is a treatment tool that can be utilized by trained occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, and physical therapists. It involves the utilization of a horse’s movement to facilitate certain sensory, adaptive, neuromotor, cognitive, and physical responses from a patient. The purpose of this project is to examine how hippotherapy as a treatment tool in physical therapy benefits children with cerebral palsy. The examination of this subject matter was conducted in a case study format. For twelve weeks, one patient with cerebral palsy’s physical therapy sessions utilizing hippotherapy were observed. During these sessions, her progress towards reaching a specific functional …

Does Biofeedback Increase Gait Velocity In Children With Cerebral Palsy?, Kara L. Steck

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does biofeedback increase gait velocity in children with cerebral palsy (CP)?”.

Study Design: A systematic review of three randomized control trials (RCTs) published between 2014 and 2019.

Data Sources: All three RCTs were found using PubMed. Each article was published in English in peer reviewed journals and selected based on their applicability to the clinical question, provide a new technique in CP rehabilitation, and include patient-oriented outcomes (POEMS).

Outcome Measured: The outcome measured was gait velocity before and after treatment using Tekscan software, 3D motion analysis …

Does Hippotherapy Improve Gross Motor Function In Children With Cerebral Palsy?, Victoria I. Bockius

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does hippotherapy improve gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy?”.

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three randomized controlled trials (RCTs), with one being a randomized crossover trial. All three were published between 2015 and 2018.

DATA SOURCES: Three RCTs published in peer-reviewed journals were chosen from PubMed. The studies were selected based on their relevance to the clinical question.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The outcome measured was improvement in gross motor function. Either hip adductor spasticity using Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) or the Gross Motor Function …

Champ's Triathlon Training Program, Rachael Sollman

OTD Capstone Projects

Champ's Triathlon Training Program was created to provide an adaptive fitness opportunity to the community of Nashville, TN. This program was specifically targeting children 8 to 15 years old diagnosed with Down's Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy, Gross Motor Function Classification Scale levels I, II, and III. Champ's Triathlon Training Program was an extension of the Champ's Tri My Best Triathlon hosted by a team of therapists and Vanderbilt's Pediatric Clinic, including Kelley Newman. The program aimed to increase the participants' strength, flexibility, and endurance through triathlon related activities such as running/walking, swimming, and biking. Outcomes of the program were to …

Physical Therapists' Perspectives Of School Functioning For Children With Cerebral Palsy (Cp), Vevian Grace A. Lee

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study was to use a qualitative participatory action research method – Photovoice – to identify perceived barriers and facilitators to school functioning among school-based physical therapists of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Seven physical therapists made up the participants in this study. The researchers followed the nine-step methodology recommended for Photovoice. During the training session, participants were educated on the background of Photovoice and the purpose of the study. They were given 14 days to take photographs after which researchers used a focus group interview structured by the SHOWeD method. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability …

Caring For Children With Severe Cerebral Palsy: The Lived Experience Of Parents, Jason Eric Cook

Department of Physical Therapy Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experience of parents who care for their child withcerebral palsy who function at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Level V. Additionally, the study also explores the parent’s understandings and beliefs about pain and non-pain related emotional distress, and the meaning of caring, providing care, and providing comfort for their child with GMFCS Level V cerebral palsy. The study was conducted using a qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenology approach with semi-structured interviews and participant-initiated journaling. The study included 11 participants who are caregiving parents of their child with GMFCS Level V cerebral …

Using A Deliberative Dialogue To Facilitate The Uptake Of Research Evidence In Rehabilitation For Children With Cerebral Palsy, Alisiyah Daya

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study explores how to facilitate the use of research evidence to optimize outcomes for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in practice. Findings from two studies were used as the basis for exploring how to comprehensively assess developmental trajectories of children with CP and plan individualized interventions. Seventeen affiliated stakeholders (e.g. physicians, senior leadership, frontline clinicians, families and youth with CP) participated in this study.

Data from a deliberative dialogue and interviews were analyzed using grounded theory methods with a pragmatic perspective. The results highlighted that all areas of practice must engage in knowledge translation to be effective. Stakeholders outlined …

How Do Individuals With Cerebral Palsy And Their Families Prefer To Receive And Use Evidence-Based Information To Individualize Services To Optimize Outcomes?, Tianna D. B. Deluzio

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The main objectives of this study were to: (1) describe the format in which children with cerebral palsy (CP) and their parents prefer to receive information pertaining to development; (2) understand how children with CP and their parents intend to use this information; and (3) gain insight on how children with CP wish to be represented in the information in terms of being both comprehensive and respectful. Ten children with CP and their parent(s) or guardian(s) participated. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Eight themes were created related to the type and format of information preferred …

Development Of Holistic Classification Systems For Children With Cerebral Palsy, Deepa Jeevanantham

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a complex disorder. There is a gap in the literature in classifying children with CP broadly. The purpose of this thesis was to develop holistic classification systems for children with CP. As a first step, a search was conducted to explore the strategies used to classify children with developmental co-ordination disorder and autism-spectrum disorder. Two versions of holistic classification systems named the body function index in cerebral palsy (BFI-CP) versions I and II were developed using two methods. Then, the relationship and differences among the developed classification systems and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) …

Evidence Based Design In Healthcare: An Applied Study On The Impacts Of Interior Design For Cerebral Palsy, Katie D. Phillips

Honors College Theses

Evidence Based Design (EBD) is an informed approach to design where designers base their decisions on quantitative and qualitative research. The design of the Universal Access Center for United Cerebral Palsy, discussed in this paper, encapsulates this approach to design. The five stages of EBD and how they were achieved within this project is defined. In the first phase, programming, current trends in healthcare as well as issues surrounding design for adults with Cerebral Palsy (CP) are discussed. In schematic design, initial issues of the project are resolved, and creative ideas are explored leading to the design development stage. In …

Clinical Decision-Making In Transition To Consultative Physical Therapy Services For A Nine-Year-Old Girl With Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report, Gina M. Kelly

All Capstone Projects

Background: Although many pediatric patients with non-progression conditions utilize rehabilitation services, clear pathways towards transitioning away from direct service aren’t adequately addressed in the literature. A number of established frameworks for clinical and ethical decision making can be utilized.

Purpose: The purpose of this case report is to illustrate the application of established frameworks in the literature to a particular case of a nine-year-old female patient with mild spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy receiving weekly home-based physical therapy services, in which the ultimate decision was to reduce services, highlighting the utility and limitations of such an application.

Case Description: This case …

How Do Parents Use Health Information With The Aid Of A Knowledge Broker When Living With And Caring For Their Young Children With Cerebral Palsy?, Stephanie E. Lagosky

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This research aims to understand how parents use health information (such as those developed from the Move & PLAY study) with the aid of a knowledge broker when living with and caring for young children with cerebral palsy. This research was conducted under a qualitative case study methodology and used questionnaires and in-depth interviews to collect data. Findings include the complexity of both parental use of health information and the desire to use a knowledge broker. A provisional model has been created to help describe information use of parents with young children with cerebral palsy. This provisional model is an …