title: Pediatric aquatic therapy on motor function and enjoyment in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy of various motor severities.
abstract: This study investigates the effects of pediatric aquatic therapy on motor function, enjoyment, activities of daily living, and health-related quality of life for children with spastic cerebral palsy of various motor severities. Children with spastic cerebral palsy were assigned to a pediatric aquatic therapy group (n = 11; mean age = 85.0 ± 33.1 months; male : female = 4 : 7) or a control group (n = 13; mean age = 87.6 ± 34.0 months; male : female = 9 : 4). The statistic results indicate that the pediatric aquatic therapy group had greater average 66-item Gross Motor Function Measure following intervention than the control group (η(2) = 0.308, P = .007), even for children with Gross Motor Function Classification System level IV (5.0 vs 1.3). The pediatric aquatic therapy group had higher Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale scores than the control group at post-treatment (P = .015). These findings demonstrate that pediatric aquatic therapy can be an effective and alternative therapy for children with cerebral palsy even with poor Gross Motor Function Classification System level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan Graduate Institute of Early Intervention, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Jou
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsui-Fen
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Early Intervention, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial hospital, Linkou, Taiwan clingchen@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chia-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, and Healthy Ageing Research Center at Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Rai-Chi
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: aquatic therapy; pool therapy; spastic type cerebral palsy