Understanding the well-being of children and young people with complex disabilities who use the Innowalk ©Made for Movement

Pickering, Dawn ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4779-5616 and Gale, Nichola ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5207-9863 2024. Understanding the well-being of children and young people with complex disabilities who use the Innowalk ©Made for Movement. Presented at: British Academy of Childhood Disability Annual Scientific Conference, Sheffield, UK, 19 June 2024.

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Abstract

Aims/ objectives Research question: How can the well-being of children and young people with complex disabilities be better understood, from using the Innowalk? Aims of the study: 1. To pilot, by observations, develop and evaluate an observational scale that enables well-being indicators to be recorded with children and young people with complex disabilities. 2. To obtain child and parental opinions by written diary records and an interview related to well-being, following them using the Innowalk. Methods A case study design was used1.Each case comprised measures, observational field notes, diaries and interviews with children, young people and their parents. Three visits were made to observe each child where field notes were written. These were then mapped onto the Be-Well checklist2 and PRIME-Observational scales3. The scales were analysed descriptively, the new observational well-being scale (WEBS) was piloted exploring the constructs of calmness, comfort, creativity, engagement, energy and joy in the participant’s behaviours. This was based upon doctoral research and a consultation group’s feedback4. Results Ten children (four male and six females) were recruited, mean age 11.9 years (range 4-18). Disabilities included cerebral palsy n=7, spina bifida n=2 and Rett’s syndrome n=1. The mean time in the Innowalk was 26.1 minutes (SD 6.3), mean distance travelled 1.9 km (SD 1.6) and the mean revolutions per minutes 39.9 (SD 3.1). The interview and diary data were analysed thematically5.Three themes were identified: Well-being: Mood and achievements; Participation: Anticipation and tolerance; Physical effects: Improved self-regulation and self-care. Conclusions This study suggests there were wellbeing effects from using the Innowalk, it is comfortable to use, creates an observable calmness, enables creativity to develop, and facilitates engagement with activities. Further testing of the WEBS scale is needed in a larger population in different contexts, to investigate content validity. An accessible illustrated storybook is being created for the participants.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Poster)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Healthcare Sciences
Subjects:	R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ101 Child Health. Child health services
Funders:	Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	18 July 2024
Date of Acceptance:	19 June 2024
Last Modified:	18 Jul 2024 08:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/169455

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