Technology use in pediatric neurorehabilitation: a scoping review

Pediatric neurological conditions impact a child’s ability to move, play, and communicate which can cause lifelong disability. Allied health professionals play a pivotal role during neurorehabilitation to support children to achieve their functional outcomes. There is growing interest in the use of technology to support pediatric neurorehabilitation. However, the scope of technologies and nature of allied health professionals’ experience with technology remain unclear. This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on the types of technology used in pediatric neurorehabilitation, explore allied health professionals’ experiences with technology, and guide future research directions. To complete this scoping review, a systematic search of scientific databases was conducted to identify eligible studies in line with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Population, Concept and Context (PCC) framework. The search generated 527 studies; 101 duplicates were removed. Out of 426 studies, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, five remaining studies were eligible for data extraction. Across the five studies, common technologies used were virtual reality and robotic assisted gait training. Technologies were predominantly used by physiotherapists, followed by occupational therapists and allied health assistants. Individual and system-level factors that served as facilitators or barriers to technology use were identified and conceptually mapped onto the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology framework. There is a need for more primary research that specifically evaluates the use of technology in clinical practice, including health professionals’ acceptance, adoption followed by implementation of technology in pediatric neurorehabilitation. Given the small number of included studies, these findings offer preliminary insight into technology use in this evolving field.