The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with cerebral palsy

Year 2023, , 39 - 45, 21.06.2023

Sevda Adar , Nuran Eyvaz , Faruk Emre Yulcu , Hasan Toktaş , Ümit Dündar , Mehmet Nuri Konya

https://doi.org/10.30565/medalanya.1193714

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the sustainability of the treatment of children with cerebral palsy during the pandemic, the physical and psychosocial impact of the pandemic on children, and the fear of COVID-19 among parents.

Method: The authors' questionnaire and the COVID-19 Fear Scale were completed by 350 parents who were reachable and willing to participate in the study.

Results: According to the information given, we can conclude that 46 (21.9%) of 210 children who received education could not participate in online education. In addition, 123 (63.4%) of 194 children who received individual education and 108 (78.8%) of 137 children who received physiotherapy could not continue. According to family reports, 26.3% of children had worse physical development, 21.1% had worse sleep quality, 11.7% had worse linguistic skills, and 39.1% of children had higher levels of anxiety than before the pandemic. The mean COVID-19 Fear Scale score of the parents who stated that their child's physical development was worse compared to before the pandemic (18.23±5.63) was higher than that of the parents who stated that there was no change in their child's physical development (16.91±5.26) (p=0.031). The mean COVID-19 Fear Scale score of the parents who stated that their child's anxiety was higher than before the pandemic (18.02±5.49) was higher than the parents who stated that there was no change in their child's anxiety (16.81±5.28) (p=0.04).

Conclusion: During the pandemic period, rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy was interrupted and children were affected physically and psychosocially. Family-centered approaches and telerehabilitation opportunities should be studied for future periods.

Keywords

COVID-19, pandemic, cerebral palsy, quarantine, parents, fear

COVİD-19 pandemisinin serebral palsili çocuklar üzerindeki etkisi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada amacımız pandemi döneminde serebral palsili çocukların tedavilerinin sürdürülebilirliğini, çocuklarin fiziksel ve psikososyal etkilenimlerini ve ebeveynlerin COVİD- 19 korkusunu araştırmaktır.

Yöntem: Ulaşılabilen ve ankete katılmayı kabul eden 350 ebeveyne yazarlar tarafından oluşturulan anket formu ve COVİD-19 Korku Ölçeği dolduruldu.

Bulgular: Eğitim alan 210 çocuktan 46’sı (%21,9) pandemide uzaktan eğitime katılamamıştı. Bireysel eğitim alan 194 çocuktan 123’ü (%63,4) ve fizyoterapi alan 137 çocuktan 108’i (%78,8) devam edememişti. Ailelerin beyanlarına göre çocukların %26,3’ünün fiziksel durumu, %21,1’inin uyku kalitesi, %11,7’sinin dilsel becerileri daha kötüydü.Pandemi öncesine göre kaygı düzeyleri çocukların %39,1’inde daha yüksekti.Pandemi öncesine göre çocuğunun fiziksel durumunun daha kötü olduğunu ifade eden ebeveynlerin COVİD Korku Ölçeği puanı ortalaması (18,23±5,63), pandemi öncesine göre çocuğunun fiziksel durumunda değişiklik olmadığını belirten ebeveynlerden (16,91±5,26) daha yüksekti (p=0,031). Pandemi öncesine göre çocuğunun kaygı seviyesinin daha yüksek olduğunu ifade eden ebeveynlerin COVİD Korku Ölçeği puanı ortalaması (18,02±5,49), pandemi öncesine göre çocuğunun kaygı durumunda değişiklik olmadığını belirten ebeveynlerden (16,81±5,28) daha yüksekti (p=0,04)

Sonuç: Pandemi döneminde serebral palsili çocukların rehabilitasyonu kesintiye uğramış ve çocuklar fiziksel ve psikososyal açıdan etkilenmiştir. Gelecek dönemler için aile merkezli yaklaşımlar ve telerehabilitasyon olanakları üzerine çalışmalar yapılmalıdır.

Keywords

COVID-19, pandemik, serebral palsi, karantina, ebeveyn, korku

References

• 1. Aktı S, Çankaya D. The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Epidemiology of Hip Fractures. Acta Medica Alanya. 2021;5(3):270–5. doi:10.30565/medalanya.866332
• 2. Graham HK, Rosenbaum P, Paneth N, Dan B, Lin JP, Damiano DiL, et al. Cerebral palsy. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016;2:15082. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2015.82
• 3. Gulati S, Sondhi V. Cerebral Palsy: An Overview. Indian J Pediatr. 2018 Nov;85(11):1006-16. doi:10.1007/s12098-017-2475-1
• 4. Ben-Pazi H, Beni-Adani L, Lamdan R. Accelerating Telemedicine for Cerebral Palsy During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond. Front Neurol. 2020;11:746. doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.00746
• 5. Varengue R, Brochard S, Bouvier S, Bailly R, Houx L, Lempereur M, et al. Perceived impact of lockdown on daily life in children with physical disabilities and their families during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Child Care Health Dev. 2022 Nov;48(6):942-955. doi:10.1111/cch.12952
• 6. Lebrasseur A, Fortin-Bédard N, Lettre J, Bussières EL, Best K, Boucher N, et al. Impact of COVID-19 on people with physical disabilities: A rapid review. Disabil Health J. 2021;14(1):101014. doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2020.101014
• 7. Morris C, Bartlett D. Gross motor function classification system: Impact and utility. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2004;46(1):60–5. doi:10.1017/S0012162204000118
• 8. Morris C, Galuppi BE, Rosenbaum PL. Reliability of family report for the Gross Motor Function Classification System. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2004;46(7):455–60. doi:10.1017/S0012162204000751
• 9. İncesu Oral E. Turkish version of gross motor function classification system-family report, determination of reliability and agreement between family and physical therapist in examining the gross motor function classification system level. Master thesis. (Advisor: Günel MK) T.C. Hacettepe University; 2021.
• 10. Ahorsu DK, Lin CY, Imani V, Saffari M, Griffiths MD, Pakpour AH. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale: Development and Initial Validation. Int J Ment Health Addict. 2022;20(3):1537-1545. doi:10.1007/s11469-020-00270-8
• 11. Ladikli N, Bahadır E, Yumuşak FN, Akkuzu H, Karaman G, Türkkan Z. The reliability and validity of turkish version of coronavirus anxiety scale. International Journal Of Social Sciences. 2020;3(2):71–80.
• 12. Meireles ALF, de Meireles LCF. Impact of social isolation due to the covid-19 pandemic in patients with pediatric disorders: Rehabilitation perspectives from a developing country. Phys Ther. 2020;100(11):1910–2. doi:10.1093/ptj/pzaa152
• 13. Bıyık KS, Özal C, Tunçdemir M, Üneş S, Delioğlu K, Günel MK. The functional health status of children with cerebral palsy during the covid-19 pandemic stay-at-home period: a parental perspective. Turk J Pediatr. 2021;63(2):223-36. doi:10.24953/turkjped.2021.02.006
• 14. Cankurtaran D, Tezel N, Yildiz SY, Celik G, Unlu Akyuz E. Evaluation of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with cerebral palsy, caregivers’ quality of life, and caregivers’ fear of COVID-19 with telemedicine. Ir J Med Sci. 2021;190(4):1473–80. doi:10.1007/s11845-021-02622-2
• 15. Bhaskar AR, Gad M V., Rathod CM. Impact of COVID Pandemic on the Children with Cerebral Palsy. Indian J Orthop. 2022;56(5):927–32. doi:10.1007/s43465-021-00591-3
• 16. Cacioppo M, Bouvier S, Bailly R, Houx L, Lempereur M, Mensah-Gourmel J, et al. Emerging health challenges for children with physical disabilities and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: The ECHO French survey. Ann Phys Rehabil Med. 2021;64(3):101429. doi:10.1016/j.rehab.2020.08.001
• 17. Theis N, Campbell N, De Leeuw J, Owen M, Schenke KC. The effects of COVID-19 restrictions on physical activity and mental health of children and young adults with physical and/or intellectual disabilities. Disabil Health J. 2021;14(3):101064. doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2021.101064
• 18. Dogruoz Karatekin B, İcagasioglu A, Sahin SN, Kacar G, Bayram F. How Did the Lockdown Imposed Due to COVID-19 Affect Patients With Cerebral Palsy? Pediatr Phys Ther. 2021;33(4):246–9. doi:10.1097/PEP.0000000000000818
• 19. Sutter EN, Francis LS, Francis SM, Lench DH, Nemanich ST, Krach LE, et al. Disrupted Access to Therapies and Impact on Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic for Children with Motor Impairment and Their Caregivers. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2021;100(9):821–30. doi:10.1097/PHM.0000000000001818
• 20. Akpinar P, Aktas I, Unlu Ozkan F, Atici A, Yilmaz Kaysin M, Cambekli K. Rehabilitation Status of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Anxiety of Their Caregivers During the COVID-19 Pandemic. North Clin Istanbul. 2021;8(6):545–53. doi:10.14744/nci.2021.32068
• 21. Dhiman S, Kumar P, Reed WR, Ganesh GS. Impact of COVID-19 outbreak on mental health and perceived strain among caregivers tending children with special needs. Res Dev Disabil. 2020;107:103790. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103790