Exploring Parents’ Experiences of Raising a Child with Sensorimotor Impairments and Expectations for Leisure Participation

• Main Authors: Emily A. Eicher, Camille Skubik-Peplaski, Shirley O’Brien, Anne Fleischer
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Western Michigan University 2018-10-01
• Series: Open Journal of Occupational Therapy
• Subjects: sensorimotor impairments; family-centered care; parenting experiences
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1364&context=ojot

Background: The objective of this descriptive study was to study parents’ experiences of raising a child with sensorimotor impairments and how leisure pursuits impact their expectations of their children. The development and participation in leisure activities is different for these children and could affect the parents’ hopes and dreams for their child’s future. Method: Six children between 5 and 8 years of age, with sensorimotor impairments, participated in a movement program that was held for eight sessions at an outpatient pediatric clinic to address praxis and sensory processing impairments. Six parent dyads were interviewed during the fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth session of the program. Areas addressed in the semi-structured interviews included parenting challenges, school experiences, and sensorimotor impairments effect on the child’s leisure participation. Results: Five themes emerged following the interviews: (a) nobody prepares you for sensory problems, (b) positive and negative school support, (c) when they already feel left out or behind, (d) I know the team sports are 100% sensory, and (e) life challenges. Conclusion: The parents provided the practitioners with insight into their everyday lives, and this information is essential for making occupational therapy services more family-centered.