Physical activity among non-ambulant children with cerebral palsy supported by an eHealth solution

According to the United Nations (UN) Agenda 2030, children with disabilities have the same rights to good health and health care through physical activity as other children. If a child cannot be physical active on its own, it has rights to get sufficient support to be physical active. The child has rights to be able to participate in physical activity. Despite this, children with physical disabilities are excluded from public arenas where physical activity and sports are performed. They are excluded because of their disability since exercise facilities are not adapted to their needs.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability in childhood in Sweden. These children are under the same risks from sedentariness as other populations, and their physical inability to move themselves makes it even harder to be physical active. Being hindered to stand or walk independently makes it hard for children with CP to exercise and be physical active.

The over-all goal of the PhD-project is to increase the participation for children with physical disability in physical activity by the innovative use of new technology and multi-scientific approaches. The research builds on the development and evaluation of an eHealth solution with the aim to promote and improve health and prevent illness for children with cerebral palsy.

The research relies on the methodological framework of trials of complex interventions from the Medical Research Council. This framework includes four fazes; Development, Feasibility/piloting, Evaluation, and Implementation, with core elements as context, refine programme theory, engage stakeholders, identify key uncertainties, refine intervention and economic consideration included in each phase.

The PhD-project aims to shed light on two major questions: 1) How physical active are non-ambulant children with CP assessed through accelerometery? 2) To what degree can an eHealth solution increase non-ambulant children with CP to participate in physical activity?

The research project is a part of the FORTE financed research program eChildHealth.