title: Effects of seat surface inclination on respiration and speech production in children with spastic cerebral palsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Respiratory and speech problems are commonly observed in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The purpose of this study was to identify if inclination of seat surface could influence respiratory ability and speech production in children with spastic diplegic CP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen children with spastic diplegic CP, ages 6 to 12 years old, participated in this study. The subjects' respiratory ability (forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and maximum phonation time (MPT)) were measured in three sitting conditions: a seat surface inclined 0°, anterior 15°, and posterior 15°.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FVC was significantly different across three inclinations of seat surface, F(2, 45) = 3.81, P = 0.03. In particular, the subjects' FVC at a seat surface inclined anterior 15° was significantly greater than at a seat surface inclined posterior 15° (P < 0.05). However, FEV1, PEF, and MPT were not significantly affected by seat surface inclination (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that anterior inclination of seat surface may provide a positive effect on respiratory function in children with spastic diplegic CP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical therapy, Catholic University of Daegu, 13-13 Hayang-ro, Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan, 712-702, Korea. hkshin1@cu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hwa-Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical therapy, Catholic University of Daegu, 13-13 Hayang-ro, Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan, 712-702, Korea. 4clover0110@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Eun-Jin
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Byeon
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 77, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA. skim@health.usf.edu.
authors.forename: Seok Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*