Enhancing the Quality of Life for Children with Cerebral Palsy At Benha City

Abstract

Cerebral palsy is one of a number of neurological disorders that affect body movement and muscle coordination. Nursing intervention of these children is crucial to maintaining their life and improving their quality of life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to enhance the quality of life for children with cerebral palsy through assess mothers' knowledge and practice regarding care of children with CP, design, implement and evaluate the constructed training program according to mothers' deficit. The research hypothesis was enhancing quality of life for children with cerebral palsy. A sample of 80 mothers of children with CP included in this study. The study was conducted at physiotherapy unit at Benha Hospitals. The tools of data collection were 1) mothers and child assessment sheet was constructed by the researcher, 2) Cerebral palsy quality of life questionnaire, developed by (Waters et al., 2006). The results showed significant improvement in mothers' knowledge and practice regarding caring for their children with CP, and also showed slightly improvement in children quality of life after program implementation. The study concluded that the program succeeds in improving the mothers' knowledge and practice regarding CP. After three months of implementation the program, the mothers' knowledge and practice was decline but still Tanta Scientific Nursing Journal Vol. 4 No. 1 May, 2013 48 higher than before the program regarding all items about knowledge and practice. The study recommended that teaching mothers different aspects of caring of their children having cerebral palsy to improve their quality of life updated pamphlets, posters and Arabic booklets about CP to facilitate the improvement of their knowledge.