TY  - JOUR
AU  - Kanitkar, Anuprita
AU  - Parmar, Sanjay Tejraj
AU  - Szturm, Tony J
AU  - Restall, Gayle
AU  - Rempel, Gina
AU  - Sepehri, Nariman
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/5/31
TI  - Parents' Perspectives on a Computer Game–Assisted Rehabilitation Program for Manual Dexterity in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Qualitative Analysis of Expectations, Child Engagement, and Benefits
JO  - JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol
SP  - e24337
VL  - 8
IS  - 2
KW  - cerebral palsy
KW  - parents' expectations
KW  - fine motor function
KW  - object manipulation
KW  - computer game–based treatment protocol
KW  - parents
KW  - motor function
KW  - computer games, rehabilitation
KW  - game-based rehabilitation
KW  - gross movement
KW  - children
AB  - Background: Children with motor impairments affecting the upper extremity benefit from task-specific therapy, such as constraint-induced movement therapy. However, there is a need to improve engagement and compliance with task-specific exercise programs that target manual dexterity for children with cerebral palsy (CP). A computer game–based rehabilitation (GRP) platform was developed that combines fine manipulation and gross movement exercises with engaging game activities appropriate for young children with CP. Objective: The objectives of this qualitative analysis were to compare parents’ perspectives and opinions about expectations, challenges, and benefits between 2 interventions. Methods: A mixed methods, randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted to examine the feasibility and estimate the effect size of 2 exercise programs for rehabilitation of manual dexterity of children with CP using either GRP or conventional therapy. Parents of 26 of the children who completed the GRP program (n=33) and parents of 15 of the children who completed the conventional therapy program (n=27) participated in the interviews. A general conductive approach was used to analyze the data recorded during the parents’ interviews. Results: Five themes captured the range of the parent’s experiences, viewpoints, and ideas: (1) parents’ expectations, (2) child’s engagement with therapy, (3) positive effects of the interventions, (4) challenges, and (5) improving the protocol. Conclusions: Parents from both groups recognized that their expectations related to improving children’s object handling and manipulation skills including participation in activities of daily life were addressed during the 16-week therapy program. Parents perceived a change in the children’s level of independence in their daily tasks at home, school, and leisure activities. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02728375; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02728375 
SN  - 2369-2529
UR  - https://rehab.jmir.org/2021/2/e24337
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/24337
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34057424
DO  - 10.2196/24337
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/24337
ER  -