Baby Science Target Paper by Dr. Hitomi Fujita (身体が動くと心が育つ！？ ―電動移動機器の早期導入がもたらす影響―) : Commentary: Lisbeth Nilsson

Abstract

• author: Nilsson, Lisbeth
• organization: Mental Health, Activity and Participation (research group)
• publishing date: 2024-03
• type: Contribution to journal
• publication status: published
• subject: Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy
• in: Baby Science, published by the Japanese Society of Baby Science
• volume: 23
• issue: 3
• pages: 12 - 16
• language: English
• LU publication?: yes
• additional info: Baby Science Target Paper by Dr. Hitomi Fujita "When the Body Moves, the Mind Grows! The Impact of Early Introduction of Motorized Mobility Devices. The article was translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) Commentary 1) Dr Lisbeth Nilsson, PhD, Reg. Occupational Therapist, Associated to Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Sweden Email: [e-mail] or [e-mail] Homepage: www.lisbethnilsson.se/en Researcher ID: https://orcid.org/0000 0001 5988 3192 2) Main text Thank you for the opportunity to comment on Dr Fujitas important case study of an infant/young child with Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy who was 10 months old when introduced to using a powered mobility device. I had the opportunity to read Fujita ’s article of this case in English [2], which increased my understanding of the results presented in th e Japanese context . The results of this case study are vital for children with disabilities, and are supported by research showing that locomotion is essential to promote achievements in many fields of a child’s development [1]. They are also supported by numerous studies showing the benefits of early powered mobility for infants and young children with disabilities. However, still this population all over the world, rarely get the opportunity to experience locomotion in a powered device. This may in part be related to accessibility and cost issues , but the device used in this study, developed in the Kids Loco project may help to overcome such issues . Query : Can access to a smaller and less expensive device as the one used in the study make it easier to motivate the introduction of powered devices to infants and children with disabilities? Dr Fujita applied the Japanese version of the process based Assessment of Learning Powered mobility use (ALP) to assess the child’s actual phase of learning and to facilitate further understanding of how to use the device [3]. The ALP covers the full learning process, thereby being useful for assessing and facilitating learning of device use in infants and young children [4]. The concepts used in the ALP instrument and facilitating strategies may also be useful when explaining what are expected achievements and successes at each of the eight phases of learning [3]. Knowledge of possible achievements at each phase may help facilitators in adjusting their expectations of progress to a level matching the child’s phase of understanding This knowledge may also be helpful when introducing the use of a powered device to parents or staff who will act as facilitators of using the device. Query: Can increase in understanding of the learning process also help to motivate early introduction of a powered device to infants and young children Dr Fujita also explored the parent’s experiences related to using the powered device and to the child’s development of powered mobility use across the learning process. The results showed that it is of utter importance to provide motivating introduction to parents and other persons involved in facilitating learning of device use. This may involve information of the child’s possible outcomes of using the powered device but also information on the functions and maintenance of the device. Possibly this result indicates how important it is to provide parents and others with information that builds realistic expectations of the child’s possible outcome as well as how to use and maintain the device. The result highlighted the psychological benefits of the parent, when recognising the achievements of the child, the expectations and hope for the child’s development changed. Query: The study shows the inter-relationship between a child s achievements in learning and a parent's experiences. Possibly the same benefits occur in staff Will that be explored in future studies? This case study showed the benefits of introducing powered mobility intervention in infancy and early childhood. It also indicated that using facilitating strategies that aligned with the young the young child’s understanding of using the device could support the development of abilities necessary for using a powered device in a functional, competent way. This development was possible despite that the child had the diagnosis Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy. This gives hope that the results of this case study may inspire others to give infants and young children with disabilities opportunities to experiences of locomotion and learn how to use a powered mobility device, which in turn promotes the child’s psychological development [1]. Query: Will more studies be carried out to further explore infants/childrens achievements from experiencing locomotion in a powered mobilitydevice? 3) References [1] Anderson, D. I., Campos, J. J., Witherington, D. C., Dahl, A., Rivera, M., He, M., Uchiyama, I. & Barbu-Roth, M.: The role of locomotion in psychological development. Frontiers in Psychology 4, 440 (2013). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00440 [2] Fujita, H. Early introduction of powered mobility devices for children with Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy and its psychological impact on caregivers: A case report. Pediatric Reports, 15, 403-413 (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/pediatric15030037 [3] Nilsson L., & Durkin J. Powered mobility intervention: understanding the position of tool use learning as part of implementing the ALP tool. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. 12(7), 730-739 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2016.1253119 [4] Nilsson L. & Kenyon L.K. Assessment and intervention for tool-use in learning powered mobility intervention: A focus on tyro learners. Disabilities, 2, 304–316 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3390/disabilities2020022.
• id: d9d951c6-d821-4edd-b679-700af15f12a9
• alternative location: https://jsbs.gr.jp/LEARNED/23/target-1.pdf
• date added to LUP: 2024-08-12 13:04:47
• date last changed: 2024-08-12 14:01:14