| Summary: | A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Science in Physiotherapy.
Johannesburg 2014 === The incidence of cerebral palsy has remained relatively constant over time. As medical technology advances survival rates of children born prematurely increase. The trend internationally and in South Africa, is to encourage the integration of children with cerebral palsy into society and to embrace and celebrate diversity. This extends to education, where children with cerebral palsy are increasingly being included into mainstream schooling environments. This is not a simple process as cerebral palsy is extremely diverse in presentation and consists of a number of associated conditions other than the well recognised physical impairments. This has a significant effect on children’s ability to participate and be included in mainstream environments. The process therefore requires careful monitoring in order to provide the relevant support and to make changes to the environment
The main aim of the study was to establish participation, activity performance and task supports of children aged between four and 12 years in mainstream schooling environments in Gauteng, South Africa. This was then related to the child’s level of impairment.
The School Function Assessment was used to establish the participation, task supports and activity performance of the children with cerebral palsy. The scores of this group were then compared to the scores of the typical population as set out in the user’s manual of the School Function Assessment.
The Gross Motor Function Classification System was used to classify the children with cerebral palsy according to their level of impairment. The results of the School Function Assessment were then analysed according to Gross Motor Function Classification level.
The results of the study demonstrate that children with cerebral palsy score lower on a number of aspects of the School Function Assessment when compared to typical students their age. This was particularly true of physical tasks. Children with cerebral palsy in this study generally functioned on a level below that of their typically developed peers with regards to physical tasks in and around the school environment. Children with cerebral palsy performed at or above the level of their typically developed peers with regard to cognitive/behavioural school activities.
As the severity of motor impairment increased, children’s ability to participate in the school environment decreased, the amount of task assistance and adaptations required increased and their ability to consistently perform activities decreased.
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