Problematic clinical features of children and adults with cerebral palsy who use electric powered indoor/outdoor wheelchairs: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

This article aims to describe the clinical features of electric powered indoor/outdoor wheelchair (EPIOC) users with cerebral palsy (CP) that are problematic to optimal prescription and to explore comorbidities, features of CP, and conditions secondary to disability impacting on equipment provision for children and adults. The method is a cross-sectional study of EPIOC users (n = 102) with a primary diagnosis of CP. This is a retrospective review of electronic and case note records of EPIOC recipients attending a specialist wheelchair service in 2007-2008. Records were reviewed by a rehabilitation consultant. Data were extracted under three themes; demographic, diagnostic/clinical and wheelchair factors. There were 48 males mean age 27.5 (range 8-70, SD 13.9) years and 54 females, mean age 29.5 (range 7-68, SD 14.6) years with CP. Sixteen comorbidities, nine features of CP, and five features of disability influenced wheelchair prescription. Sixty-four users were provided with specialized seating (SS) and 47 with tilt-in-space (TIS) seats. Complex controls were provided to 16 users, 12 tray-mounted. The majority of users had both SS and TIS. Powered wheelchair prescription has important therapeutic roles in clinical management in addition to enhancing mobility, independence and participation. Clinical features such as spasticity and problematic pain appeared less well managed in adults than in children.

Clinical features of electric powered indoor/outdoor wheelchair users with spinal cord injuries: A cross-sectional study

“…In this study, we found additional clinical features that may be associated with ageing, such as osteoarthritis and ischaemic heart disease, and this may add to evidence that people with SCI experience 'accelerated ageing' (Charlifue, Jha, & Lammertse, 2010). However, this finding may also be due to long term disability and wheelchair use as similar co-morbidities have been reported for EPIOC users with multiple sclerosis (De Souza & Frank, 2015) and cerebral palsy (Frank & De Souza, 2017). This cohort are older than population-based groups of people with SCI and similar to reports of older people with SCI and parallel medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity (DeVivo, 2012) which were also found in our EPIOC users.…”

Community mobility: psychosocial experiences of stroke survivors who use wheelchairs in Worcester, South Africa

“…Once obtained, this expensive device decreases or eliminates the day-to-day cost of transport. It can create a sense of independence and enhance community mobility and participation 31 .However, not every person who had a stroke will be able to mobilise with a powered wheeled device. Physical impairments caused by the stroke such as hemianopia, decreased motor coordination, impaired cognition and/ or memory and slow reaction time will negatively impact a person`s ability to operate a power wheeled device safely.…”

Looking beyond Body Structure and Function: ICF Foci and Who Is Being Assessed in Research about Adolescents and Young Adults with Cerebral Palsy—A Scoping Review

“…Complete search strategy EMBASE example; S3 Appendix 2. Scoping review included studies characteristics, [ 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 , 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 , 119 , 120 , 121 , 122 , 123 , 124 , 125 , 126 ] are cited in Supplementary.…”