THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common pediatric disability causing long-term functional limitations. CP remarkably influences the life of those affected and their families. For this reason it is important and necessary to direct attention not only type of the CP, but also the impact the disorder has on the child, parents, siblings and the entire family as a whole. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of CP on the child’s quality of life, considering parents’ perceptions about their child's illness, in order to underline the impact the illness has not only on the child but also his/her family. Methods: The study included both parents of the 36 subjects enrolled (19 males and 17 females), with established CP diagnosis. The effect of CP on the families was assessed using the Impact of Childhood Illness Scale. This questionnaire assesses the quality of life in children with epilepsy and other chronic pathologies and in their families. All questions refer to effect to the illness family. The scale comprises 30 questions divided into four sections: impact of illness and its treatment ; impact on development and child s adjustment; impact on parents and impact on the family. Descriptive analyses were used for data analysis and it is also calculated the rank correlation coefficient Spearman’s rho. Results and conclusion: The mothers’ group presents little higher average scores than the group of fathers in two four subscales or in the basement “Impact on the child” and “Family impact on the organization”. This could be due to the fact that mothers are concerned most of the child's caregiver, living most of all the difficulties that entails; mothers show greater concerns than fathers. In subscale “Impact on parents” the average score of the answers of the group of mothers coincide with that of the fathers; the experience and the experience of his son's illness is analogous for both parents. No significant differences were found from the correlational analysis between the individual items of the subscales and the different forms of CP. In families of children with CP, strategies for optimizing caregiver physical and psychological health include supports for behavioral management and daily functional activities as well as stress management and self-efficacy techniques.