Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicine最新文献

Purpose: This exploratory study demonstrates the application of functionally relevant physical exercises (FRPE) to objectively assess physical functioning among children with chronic pain. Intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) focuses on functional improvements as a primary outcome. FRPEs aim to enhance clinical assessments and monitoring by providing relevant data for physical and occupational therapies.

Methods: Children enrolled in three weeks of IIPT provided data for study. They completed two self-report measures of functioning (Lower Extremity Functioning Scale [LEFS] and Upper Extremity Functioning Index [UEFI]), measure of pain intensity, and six separate FRPEs (box carry, box lifts, floor to stand, sit to stand, step ups, and modified six-minute walk test). Data from 207 participants aged 8-20 years old were analyzed.

Results: Upon admission, over 91% of children could perform each FRPE at some level to provide clinicians with a baseline assessment of functional strength. Following IIPT, all children were able to complete FRPEs. Overall, children reported statistically significant gains in functioning on all subjective reports and FRPEs (p's < 0.001). Spearman correlations demonstrated that LEFS and UEFI were weakly to moderately correlated to all FRPEs at admission (r's between.43-.64, p's < 0.001 and.36-.50, p's < 0.01 respectively). Correlations between all subjective and objective measures were comparatively lower at discharge.

Conclusion: FRPEs appear to serve as good objective measures of strength and mobility for children with chronic pain, measuring variability across patients and change over time, which is unique from subjective data gathered via self-report. Due to face validity and objective measurement of functioning, from a clinical practice perspective, FRPEs provide meaningful information to support initial assessment, treatment planning, and patient monitoring. This study offers initial support for a novel measurement method that is easily administered and replicated to effectively measure functional improvement in children with chronic pain.

Purpose: In children with cerebral palsy (CP), gastrocnemius muscle spasticity may lead to pes equinus posture which causes insufficient ankle joint dorsiflexion for normal gait. The aim of this study was to analyze the stiffness of gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles by shear wave elastography (SWE) in children with pes equinus deformity due to spastic CP.

Methods: 24 legs of 12 children (6 females and 6 males, mean age 45.8 months) with CP were prospectively included in the study. Tissue stiffness quantification with shear-wave velocity (SWV) was analyzed.

Results: The mean SWVs of the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles were 3.91±0.26 m/s and 2.67±0.18 m/s, respectively. The stiffness of the gastrocnemius muscle was significantly higher than the stiffness of the tibialis anterior muscle (p < 0.0001). There was no correlation between the stiffness of these muscles (r = 0.129, p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Gastrocnemius muscles were stiffer than tibialis anterior muscles in patients with spastic CP. But stiffness between these muscles was not correlated with each other. Pes equinus may be related to stiff gastrocnemius in these patients. This study demonstrates the clinical potential for SWE as a non-invasive tool for analyzing calf muscle stiffness.

Purpose: Existing evidence identifies racial and ethnic disparities impacting the prevalence and severity of cerebral palsy (CP). There is a paucity of literature examining the impact on associated treatment.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, an institutional database search identified outpatient encounters for pediatric patients with spastic CP. Additional filters were used to determine treatments received. For each treatment, the proportion of African American (AA) patients receiving treatment was compared to the proportion of Caucasian (C) patients receiving the same treatment.

Results: 3,686 children with spastic CP were seen in outpatient clinics associated with an academic tertiary hospital over a 21-year period. There was no significant difference between the proportion of any treatment compared to the entire sample for AA or C patients.

Conclusion: In this sample, there was no significant evidence of a racial disparity for AA patients receiving treatments for spasticity. This data is limited by several factors. Further research is needed to determine whether pediatric patients with disabilities are receiving equitable care. Clinicians should consider systematically monitoring their practices to identify areas of bias or inequity in accessing care.

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a "polio-like" neurologic disorder of the spinal cord gray matter characterized by asymmetric, flaccid limb weakness of rapid onset following prodromal viral illness. It has affected the pediatric population of the United States since 2014, but there is a paucity of literature describing the post-acute comprehensive rehabilitation management that maximizes functional outcomes for patients. This case series attempts to mitigate this by describing the complete acute and post-acute care course of six children diagnosed with AFM in Western Pennsylvania. It is critical that pediatric rehabilitation medicine providers be knowledgeable about the complex medical and rehabilitation management for patients with AFM.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the result of the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) aged < 20 years old and individuals without CF.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 50 children and adolescents with CF and 20 children and adolescents without CF underwent the 6MWT. Vital signs before and immediately after the 6MWT and six-minute walk distance (6MWD) were evaluated.

Results: The mean change in heart rate, percentage of peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2%), systolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, and dyspnea severity during the 6MWT was significantly higher in patients with CF. In the case group, 6MWD was associated with regular chest physical therapy (CPT) and forced expiratory volume (FEV)> 80%. Patients with CF receiving regular CPT or mechanical vibration and with FEV in the first second > 80% showed better physical capacity during the 6MWT (smaller Sp02% decline and lower dyspnea perception).

Conclusion: Children and adolescents with CF have lower physical capacity compared to individuals without CF. CPT and mechanical vibration could be used to increase physical capacity in this population.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of intrathecal morphine following selective dorsal rhizotomy in pediatric patients previously diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Methods: This was a retrospective, cohort analysis over the course of four years. The analysis consisted of a treatment group which received intrathecal morphine (5 mcg/kg) injection and a control group that did not receive the injection prior to dural closure. All patients underwent multilevel laminectomies for selective dorsal rhizotomy at Akron Children's Hospital. The effectiveness of the treatment was measured by total dose of hydromorphone administered on patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), number of days on oral narcotics, and cumulative dose of oral narcotic.

Results: Of the analyzed 15 pediatric patients, seven patients received intrathecal morphine injection while the other eight did not receive the treatment prior to dural closure. There was a difference of 1135 mcg in total PCA dose between the study group (3243 mcg) and the control group (4378 mcg). The total PCA dose based on weight was lower in the study group (163 mcg/kg) than in the control group (171 mcg/kg).

Conclusion: Based on these findings, the administration of intrathecal morphine clinically reduces the opiate need in the first 96 hours post-operatively.

Purpose: Family-centered rehabilitative care optimizes outcomes for children with significant developmental disabilities. Family-centered services involve assessing family resources that promote positive developmental outcomes for children. Little is known regarding family resources in the context of caring for a child with developmental disabilities in Brazil due to an absence of validated measures. This study describes the translation and cultural adaptation of the Family Resource Scale and explored the measurement quality of the resulting measure (the Brazilian-Family Resource Scale, or B-FRS).

Methods: A rigorous serial translation process that emphasized linguistic accuracy as well as cultural adaptation was utilized. The resulting 27-item B-FRS was theoretically related and reflected the contextual intent of the original measure.

Results: A four-factor scoring approach yielded acceptable internal consistency estimates for the subscales and total scale score. Overall, low levels of family resources were reported by caregivers of children with Congenital Zika Syndrome. Low family resources were associated with parental depressive and stress-related symptoms.

Conclusion: Confirmatory factor analysis of the B-FRS in a larger sample is recommended. Practitioners in Brazil should broadly consider family needs and resources to provide family-centered care that is effective for the child and engages the family in a way that highlights their strengths and promotes positive developmental trajectories.