Sunday, May 5, 2024
5/5/2024
Abstract Nearly 30% of children with cerebral palsy (CP) will have severe CP and will be unable to functionally walk or self-propel a manual wheelchair. For these children, a powered wheelchair (PWC) provides their only option for functional mobility and independence. PWCs have been shown to provide functional, independent mobility for children who are unable to functionally walk or self-propel a manual wheelchair. Despite these known benefits, PWC use is often restricted to a small percentage of children who can quickly demonstrate proficient PWC skills within a single 30-minute PWC trial using a generic PWC that may or may not meet their custom safety and seating needs. The IndieTrainer System, developed in our Phase II National Institutes of Health Small Business Innovation Research (NIH SBIR) grant, is comprised of a mobility device that temporarily converts a manual wheelchair into a PWC, and a range of simple video-based gamified training modules, each specifically designed to facilitate PWC training. By temporarily converting a child’s manual wheelchair into a PWC, children remain in their own manual wheelchair and use their own custom seating system while driving. Our pilot work with the IndieTrainer System indicates that PWC skills training provided via the IndieTrainer System may be a powerful tool to support children in learning PWC skills while safely seated in their own customized manual wheelchair. In this project, we will conduct a 2- arm, parallel group, single blinded, pre-test-post-test randomized controlled trial to test our central hypothesis that an 8-week evidence-based PWC skills training intervention using the IndieTrainer System will produce greater improvements in children’s PWC skills capacity immediately after the 8-week intervention and at an 8-week follow-up assessment as compared to the waitlist control group. Aim 1. Quantify and compare PWC skills capacity outcomes at post-intervention and follow-up. Aim 2. Quantify and compare parental/caregiver perceptions of change in their children’s PWC capacity from pre- to post-intervention. Aim 3. Quantify and compare children’s perceptions of change in their PWC skills capacity from pre- to post- intervention.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
