Impact of a sitting training program for the improvement of independent sitting control in children with Cerebral Palsy and its association with the quality of life of their mothers – A Randomized Control Study Protocol

Introduction: Children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) show sensory, motor, and perceptual impairments that may influence the development of trunk control and achievement of independent sitting control.This leads to the loss of other milestones that might affect the overall development of the child and increase the caretaking burden.Disabilities of children may burden their family members, especially their mothers, who are their long-term caregivers.The study outlines the protocol for a randomized controlled trial evaluating a sitting training programs efficacy in enhancing independent sitting control among children diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.Furthermore, it aims to investigate the potential impact of improved sitting control on the quality of life (QoL) of their mothers.Methods and analysis: Protocol for a prospective, double blinded, randomized, controlled trial.Seventy-two children with mild to moderate CP (Gross Motor Function Classification Scale -ER III & IV) aged between 3 years and 7 years along with their mothers will be recruited.Participants will be randomly allocated to two groups: sitting training group and conventional therapy group.The outcome measures will be Trunk control measurement scale (TCMS) and World Health Organization Quality Of Life (WHOQOL-BREF).The outcomes are assessed at baseline, 6 weeks and 8 weeks. Ethics and dissemination:This study has approval from the institution ethics committee (ECR/677/Inst/PY/2014/RR-17).Results will be disseminated in journals, conference and among participants to complement their existing therapy.Discussion: This study describes the background, hypotheses, rationale, and methodology of the protocol for a sitting training program for children with spastic cerebral palsy and will follow CONSORT and SPIRIT guidelines for reporting.The proposed sitting control training represents a novel approach to addressing core stability and sitting control in children with cerebral palsy.Improved sitting control promotes socialization, engagement in everyday activities, and the development of new motor skills that may provide valuable insights into the potential benefits of sitting control beyond the child's physical abilities, highlighting its potential to improve overall family well-being.