title: Therapy service use in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: An Australian perspective.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to describe the patterns of therapy service use for a sample of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy over a 1 year period and to identify factors associated with frequency of therapy and parental satisfaction with therapy frequency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents of 83 children completed a survey on their child's use of occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language pathology services over the previous year. Participants were randomly selected from a sample stratified by age and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the year prior to survey completion, 83% of children had received occupational therapy, 88% had received physiotherapy and 60% had received speech and language pathology services. Frequency of therapy was higher for younger children (P < 0.01), those classified at GMFCS levels IV-V (P < 0.05) and those attending schools specifically for children with disabilities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current structures for therapy service delivery for children with cerebral palsy are systems-based, and age-based funding systems and the organisation of services around the education system are preventing the delivery of needs-based therapy. Paediatricians that care for children and young people with cerebral palsy need to pay particular attention to those that may miss out on therapy due to age or school type, and support these families in accessing appropriate therapy.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meehan
authors.affiliation: Developmental Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Developmental Medicine, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Adrienne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Developmental Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: Developmental Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Developmental Medicine, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Dinah S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Reddihough
authors.affiliation: Developmental Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Developmental Medicine, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Developmental Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Kylie E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Crompton
authors.affiliation: Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Suhaila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.affiliation: Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheinberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001315:Australia; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010290:Parents; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria
keywords: cerebral palsy; health services research; occupational therapy; physiotherapy; speech and language pathology