Enabling active play for children with medical conditions or disabilities

Description:
Physical activity is critically important for the physical and mental health of children. Active play is essential for childhood growth and development, provides opportunities for peer socialization and it a major factor that determines children's quality of life. Only 1/3 of Canadian children do the daily physical activity associated with optimal health, and children with medical conditions or disabilities are even less active. Although everyone knows that physical activity is very important, it can be very difficult for parents, teachers, and others to encourage and support appropriate active play if a child's health condition leaders to activity modifications or restrictions. Working collaboratively with children with medical conditions or disabilities, their parents, and the healthcare professionals who care for them, we created a series of new resources that clearly convey how the child can enjoy active play that is appropriate for their health.
Our "tool kit" of resources was evaluated through a research study conducted at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Stollery Children's Hospital, and the London Health Sciences Centre. The research study had two goals: 1) Evaluate the impact on children's activity level and confidence of using the tool kit resources to provide physical activity counselling during a child's regular hospital appointment. 2) Evaluate the impact of including physical activity counselling on clinic visit time, staffing and resources. 155 children with congenital heart disease participated in the study and were randomly assigned to receive the physical activity counselling or to have a regular clinic visit. Clinic visit time was not impacted by the inclusion of the physical activity counselling and the counselling was provided during the routine clinic visit to 97% of participants. Children wore pedometers for 7 days each month for 6 months. Children who received the activity counselling were contacted about increasing their activity if their daily steps were below 12,000. Activity levels and confidence were similar among all children at the start of the study. 6-months after the clinic appointment, the study assessments were repeated. At that time, children who received the physical activity counselling took significantly more steps per day (as measured by a pedometer) and had higher self-perceived adequacy and predilection for physical activity. The study concluded that a brief, physical activity counselling intervention, supported by our tool kit of resources and staff encouragement as needed, increased the probability that children would meet current guidelines for daily physical activity and develop more positive attitudes towards active play and healthy, active lifestyles. Feedback from parents in the study and family advisory committee members recommended that the tool kit of resources be made available to all healthcare providers and families of children with medical conditions or disabilities as the information and resources would be helpful for children living with many different conditions (not just congenital heart disease).
The presenters will share their experiences in completing this study. Lisa Crack is a parent whose child participated in the study. Lisa will explain why their family decided to participate in the study, what the experience was like, and the benefits they obtained or changes they would recommend. Pat Longmuir is the scientist who led the study. She will provide details about the research methods, results, and conclusions. Jennifer Graham is the President of the Canadian Congenital Heart Alliance (CCHA). Jennifer will explain how CCHA partnered in developing/conducting the research study and continues to collaborate on the dissemination of the study results and tool kit resources.
Speakers:
Dr. Pat Longmuir
Senior Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
Lisa Crack
Parent Partner
Jennifer Graham
President, Canadian Congenital Heart Alliance