title: Improving parents' early recognition and understanding of infant cranial abnormalities through Web-based 2-D animations of 3-D structures.
abstract: A prototype Web site, "HeadStart: a craniosynostosis and positional plagiocephaly resource," was developed to help parents of children with cranial abnormalities access information about their child's condition. An on-line survey of 30 parents confirmed the need for information regarding the early diagnosis and treatment of cranial abnormalities. Three methods of creating the illusion of 3-D in a 2-D interactive animation were investigated. The final prototype Web site was developed using a novel approach to rendering 3-D models for use on the Web using a non-photorealistic rendering technique which emulated a hand-drawn appearance. Many advantages were found when creating 2-D animations based on 3-D files. A formative evaluation with parents revealed that the 3-D feature added to their understanding of cranial structures and led to a more complete understanding of their child's condition. Although the small sample size limits the ability to generalize about the success of including 3-D elements in educational programs, the research demonstrated that involving parents in the development process was successful in prioritizing the program content to fit with their needs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Communications, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Polk
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Woolridge
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilson-Pauwels
authors.forename: Jodie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jenkinson
authors.forename: Margot
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mackay
mesh_terms: D032882:Comprehension; D003196:Computer Graphics; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003398:Craniosynostoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007223:Infant; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D010290:Parents; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012886:Skull / Q000002:abnormalities*