Postural Management to Enhance Impact on Life Quality for Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Nursing and Rehabilitation Approach

Postural management is a highly important issue in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy (CP), but its use has not been thoroughly examined in the Middle East. The objective of this research was to determine how proper wheelchair choice could help in improving quality of life (QoL) of children with spastic cerebral palsy in Saudi Arabia. The sample used consisted of 35 children that were in a stable medical condition and had a Gross Motor Functional Measurement (GMFM) score of 3-5. The children whose parents did not consent were also excluded as well as those children who could not respond to the questionnaires of the study. The participants were all evaluated at three points namely baseline, after two weeks, and four weeks following a postural management program based on a wheelchair recommended by WHO. The findings showed that five, out of seven, domains of QoL showed statistically significant positive changes with a p-value of less than 0.001. These results will emphasize the great advantages of proper wheelchair choice in enhancing the QoL of children with cerebral palsy. Besides, the present research highlights the need to strengthen the understanding of postural management, paediatric rehabilitation, and how physiotherapy and occupational therapy may possibly optimize the treatment of children with CP.