Comparative study of home and community participation among children with and without cerebral palsy.
Children with CP join in less at home and in the community, and parents want practical help to change that.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Razuk et al. (2018) asked parents to rate how often their kids joined in everyday home and community activities. The team compared children with cerebral palsy to same-age peers without disabilities. They used a survey design, not an experiment, so no one received an intervention.
What they found
Kids with CP joined in fewer home routines and went on fewer community outings. The gap was real but small in size. Parents of children with CP said they wanted more variety at home and more chances to get out.
How this fits with other research
Barton et al. (2019) saw the same pattern in children with developmental coordination disorder: lower activity and less parent support. Together the two studies show the participation gap is not unique to CP.
Leung et al. (2011) found large deficits in preschoolers with broad developmental delay, while Milena’s school-age CP group showed only small gaps. The drop may look smaller because older kids get more school supports, or because CP was mild in this sample.
McGarty et al. (2018) reviewed parent views across ten studies and found parents see the same barriers—lack of programs, poor fit, low social chances—no matter the diagnosis. Milena’s parent quotes line up exactly with that bigger picture.
Why it matters
You now have evidence that participation gaps start early and last. When a child with CP shows small motor issues but big stay-at-home patterns, treat the pattern, not the label. Ask parents which home routines feel hard and which community trips they skip. Build a short list of high-impact outings and practice the steps: shoes on, car transfer, store entry, social greeting. One new routine a week beats a long wish list that never happens.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) are at increased risk of reduced participation. Parental evaluation of child's participation is often the decision-making factor in the process of special education and/or rehabilitation. AIMS: Examine and compare home and community participation of children with CP and typical development (TD) and the associations between their parents' desire for change and participation dimensions in both settings. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: This cross-sectional study included a convenience sample of 110 children with CP (55% males; mean age 12.7 years) and 134 children with TD (49% males; mean age 12.1 years). The Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth (PEM-CY) was used. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Home and community participation and environmental supportiveness of children with CP were lower compared to children with TD (p < .001, family income controlled). The effect sizes indicated that there may be no clinically important difference in participation frequency. Parents of children with CP desired change if participation was less diverse at home, less frequent in the community, or if involvement was lower in both settings (environmental supportiveness and income controlled). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: At home, parents expressed a desire for change more intensely through the range of activities, while parents of children with TD emphasized participation frequency. In the community, parents of children with CP equally perceived participation diversity and focused more on frequency and involvement.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2018 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2018.06.010