title: Motor training and physical activity among preschoolers with cerebral palsy: a survey of parents' experiences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe motor training and physical activity among preschoolers with cerebral palsy (CP) in Norway, and assess associations between child, parent, and motor intervention characteristics, and parent-reported child benefits from interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey of 360 parents and data from the Norwegian CP follow-up program. The response rate was 34%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the six months preceding the time of the survey, 75% of the children performed gross-motor training, 73% fine-motor training, 80% manual stretching, and 67% participated regularly in physical activities. The training was highly goal-directed, intensive, frequently incorporated in daily routines, and often with a high level of parental involvement. The use of goals was associated with higher parent-reported child benefits for all types of interventions. Moreover, the positive relationship, which was indicated between frequency of training, parent education, and parent-reported child benefits of gross-motor training, was not seen for fine-motor training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parent-reported child benefits support goal-directed motor interventions, and the use of everyday activities to increase practice of motor skills.
authors.affiliation: 1Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences , Oslo , Norway.
authors.forename: Hilde Tinderholt
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Myrhaug
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Østensjø
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009048:Motor Skills; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D009664:Norway; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires