Thesis (M.Sc.) (Honours) -- University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, 1999. / A thesis presented to the University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Honours), March, 1999. Bibliography : leaves 117-125.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 92-94).

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / This research sets guidelines for parents of chronically ill children. The guidelines are aimed at equipping the parents to cope more efficiently with the chronic illness and to support other family members in doing so. The nature of chronic illness and its effect on the sick child, his education, the parents and siblings have been researched in the literature study. Chronic illness affects family members in different ways. The· illness affects the sick child's physical, emotional, cognitive, moral and psychosocial development. The parent's total existence and the education of their child are also affected. The illness influences the emotional, cognitive, moral and psychosocial development of siblings. The effect of chronic illness on family members gives rise to certain needs concerned with coping with the illness. Parents as the caretakers of the family and educators of the child are mainly responsible, to assist family members to deal with the illness and its consequences. An empirical study was carried out, involving 102 parents of chronically ill children. This study confirmed that the chronic illness impedes the education process and complicates the adequate development and maturation of specifically the sick child. The effect that chronic illness has on other family members was also confirmed. The empirical study proved that parents need assistance to cope with the illness. They need assistance for themselves as well as assistance in helping other family members to cope. Based on this literature study and the results of the empirical research, guidelines were developed for the parents of the chronically ill child. These guidelines empower the parents in their support roles. It enables them to deal with the needs of the family thereby enabling family members to cope more efficiently with the illness. Several guidelines have been given regarding how to cope with the matters concerned with educational, physical, emotional, cognitive, moral and psychosocial consequences of the illness. Parents should streamline these guidelines to suit the needs of every unique child and the rest of his family. / Hierdie navorsing stel riglyne vir ouers van 'n cluoniese siek kind. Die riglyne is daarop gemik om die ouers te bemagtig om cluoniese siekte beter te kan hanteer en ander gesinslede te steun in hulle hantering van die siekte. Die aard van cluoniese siekte en die effek daarvan op die siek kind, sy opvoeding, die ouers en sibbe is in die literatuurstudie nagevors. Cluoniese siekte raak elke gesinslid op verskeie wyses. Die siek kind se liggaamlike, emosionele, kognitiewe, morele en psigososiale ontwikkeling word deur die siekte beYnvloed. Ouers se totale bestaan en hulle opvoeding van die kind word deur die siekte geraak. Die siekte beYnvloed sibbe se emosionele, kognitiewe, morele en psigososiale ontwikkeling. Die effek van chroniese siekte op elke gesinslid laat behoeftes, wat met die hantering van die siekte verband hou, by elkeen ontstaan. Ouers as versorgers van die gesin en opvoeders van die kind is grootliks verantwoordelik om die siek kind en ander gesinslede te help om die siekte en die gevolge daarvan te hanteer. 'n Empiriese ondersoek is uitgevoer waarby I 02 ouers van cluoniese siek kinders betrek is. Die empiriese ondersoek het bevestig dat cluoniese siekte opvoeding kan bemoeilik en toereikende ontwikkeling en volwassewording by veral die siek kind kompliseer. Chroniese siekte se effek op die ander gesinslede is ook bevestig. Die empiriese ondersoek het aangedui dat ouers behoeftes aan hulp het om die siekte te kan hanteer. Ouers se behoeftes het verband gehou met hulp aan hulself en hulp om die ander gesinslede te help om die siekte beter te hanteer. Op grond van die literatuurstudie en die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek, is riglyne vir ouers van die cluoniese siek kind geskryf. Die riglyne bemagtig ouers as steungewers deurdat hulle toenemend in staat gestel word om in die gesin se behoeftes te voorsien, sodat gesinslede die siekte beter kan hanteer. Verskeie riglyne om sake rakende die siekte te hanteer, is gegee. Daar is aan opvoedkundige, liggaamlike, emosionele, kognitiewe, morele en psigososiale aspekte aandag gegee. Die ouers behoort die riglyne te verbesonder vir elke unieke kind en sy gesin. / Psychology of Education / D.Ed.(Sielkunde Opvoedkunde)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / This research sets guidelines for parents of chronically ill children. The guidelines are aimed at equipping the parents to cope more efficiently with the chronic illness and to support other family members in doing so. The nature of chronic illness and its effect on the sick child, his education, the parents and siblings have been researched in the literature study. Chronic illness affects family members in different ways. The· illness affects the sick child's physical, emotional, cognitive, moral and psychosocial development. The parent's total existence and the education of their child are also affected. The illness influences the emotional, cognitive, moral and psychosocial development of siblings. The effect of chronic illness on family members gives rise to certain needs concerned with coping with the illness. Parents as the caretakers of the family and educators of the child are mainly responsible, to assist family members to deal with the illness and its consequences. An empirical study was carried out, involving 102 parents of chronically ill children. This study confirmed that the chronic illness impedes the education process and complicates the adequate development and maturation of specifically the sick child. The effect that chronic illness has on other family members was also confirmed. The empirical study proved that parents need assistance to cope with the illness. They need assistance for themselves as well as assistance in helping other family members to cope. Based on this literature study and the results of the empirical research, guidelines were developed for the parents of the chronically ill child. These guidelines empower the parents in their support roles. It enables them to deal with the needs of the family thereby enabling family members to cope more efficiently with the illness. Several guidelines have been given regarding how to cope with the matters concerned with educational, physical, emotional, cognitive, moral and psychosocial consequences of the illness. Parents should streamline these guidelines to suit the needs of every unique child and the rest of his family. / Hierdie navorsing stel riglyne vir ouers van 'n cluoniese siek kind. Die riglyne is daarop gemik om die ouers te bemagtig om cluoniese siekte beter te kan hanteer en ander gesinslede te steun in hulle hantering van die siekte. Die aard van cluoniese siekte en die effek daarvan op die siek kind, sy opvoeding, die ouers en sibbe is in die literatuurstudie nagevors. Cluoniese siekte raak elke gesinslid op verskeie wyses. Die siek kind se liggaamlike, emosionele, kognitiewe, morele en psigososiale ontwikkeling word deur die siekte beYnvloed. Ouers se totale bestaan en hulle opvoeding van die kind word deur die siekte geraak. Die siekte beYnvloed sibbe se emosionele, kognitiewe, morele en psigososiale ontwikkeling. Die effek van chroniese siekte op elke gesinslid laat behoeftes, wat met die hantering van die siekte verband hou, by elkeen ontstaan. Ouers as versorgers van die gesin en opvoeders van die kind is grootliks verantwoordelik om die siek kind en ander gesinslede te help om die siekte en die gevolge daarvan te hanteer. 'n Empiriese ondersoek is uitgevoer waarby I 02 ouers van cluoniese siek kinders betrek is. Die empiriese ondersoek het bevestig dat cluoniese siekte opvoeding kan bemoeilik en toereikende ontwikkeling en volwassewording by veral die siek kind kompliseer. Chroniese siekte se effek op die ander gesinslede is ook bevestig. Die empiriese ondersoek het aangedui dat ouers behoeftes aan hulp het om die siekte te kan hanteer. Ouers se behoeftes het verband gehou met hulp aan hulself en hulp om die ander gesinslede te help om die siekte beter te hanteer. Op grond van die literatuurstudie en die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek, is riglyne vir ouers van die cluoniese siek kind geskryf. Die riglyne bemagtig ouers as steungewers deurdat hulle toenemend in staat gestel word om in die gesin se behoeftes te voorsien, sodat gesinslede die siekte beter kan hanteer. Verskeie riglyne om sake rakende die siekte te hanteer, is gegee. Daar is aan opvoedkundige, liggaamlike, emosionele, kognitiewe, morele en psigososiale aspekte aandag gegee. Die ouers behoort die riglyne te verbesonder vir elke unieke kind en sy gesin. / Psychology of Education / D.Ed.(Sielkunde Opvoedkunde)

Introdução:O comprometimento de determinados grupos musculares e alterações sensório motoras são algumas das características apresentadas por crianças com paralisia cerebral, fazendo-se necessária a utilização de andadores e estabilizadores para auxiliar no ortostatismo e na marcha desses pacientes. Atualmente, existem equipamentos que favorecem estes aspectos, porém o custo ainda é bastante alto, tornando-os inacessíveis a uma grande parcela da população. Com o intuito de se apresentar uma alternativa de qualidade e custo reduzido, desenvolveu-se na UTFPR um andador/ estabilizador baseado no protocolo PediaSuit™, confeccionado em PVC. O suporte é dado através de elastômeros fixados a um cinto, permitindo assim uma marcha mais próxima do natural. Objetivo: Avaliar a marcha e a postura de crianças com Paralisia Cerebral a partir do uso de uma Unidade Terapêutica Domiciliar de baixo custo e baixa mecanização. Método: Foram realizados testes visando analisar a resistência mecânica do material utilizado e ensaios com o protótipo construído. O PVC mostrou ser um material com alta resistência nos testes de flexão e impacto. A massa máxima suportada pelo andador no teste realizado foi de aproximadamente 226 kg. Após a avaliação do equipamento, três crianças foram filmadas utilizando o andador em PVC e um andador comum. Aspectos da marcha e da postura foram avaliados por trinta fisioterapeutas através desses vídeos.Resultados: O andador em PVC apresentou melhores resultados em relação a todos os aspectos da marcha avaliados, promovendo uma deambulação mais próxima do normal. Em relação à resistência mecânica, os ensaios mostram que o PVC Ø32mm é um material adequado para a confecção de equipamentos de tecnologia assistiva, por ser capaz de suportar cargas elevadas sem se romper. A utilização desse material também proporcionou uma redução significativa no custo final do equipamento / Introduction: The involvement of certain muscle groups and sensorimotor deficits are some of the characteristics displayed by children with cerebral palsy, making necessary the use of stabilizers and gait trainers to assist posture and gait of those patients. There are assistive technology devices that promote these aspects, but the cost is still quite high, making them inaccessible to most people. In order to present an alternative with lower cost, a PVC stabilizer/ gait trainer based on PediaSuit™ protocol was developed at UTFPR and Vitória Research Center. The support is provided by elastomers fixed to a belt, thereby allowing a more natural gait pattern. Objective: To evaluate the gait and posture of children with cerebral palsy during the use of a low cost/ low mechanization Therapy Unit Homecare. Method: Some tests were carried out to determine the strength of the prototype and the material itself. PVC proved to be a material with high strength in bending and impact tests. The maximum mass supported by the walker in the test conducted was approximately 226 kg. After evaluating the equipment, images of three children using a reguar gait trainer and the PVC home care unit were taken. Aspects of gait and posture were analysed by thirty physiotherapists through these videos. Results: The PVC home care unit showed better results in regarding all aspects of gait evaluated by promoting closer to normal gait. The mechanical strength tests show that PVC Ø32mm is a suitable material for fabrication of assistive technology equipment, to be able to withstand high loads without breaking. The use of this material also provided a significant reduction in the final cost of the product.

Introdução:O comprometimento de determinados grupos musculares e alterações sensório motoras são algumas das características apresentadas por crianças com paralisia cerebral, fazendo-se necessária a utilização de andadores e estabilizadores para auxiliar no ortostatismo e na marcha desses pacientes. Atualmente, existem equipamentos que favorecem estes aspectos, porém o custo ainda é bastante alto, tornando-os inacessíveis a uma grande parcela da população. Com o intuito de se apresentar uma alternativa de qualidade e custo reduzido, desenvolveu-se na UTFPR um andador/ estabilizador baseado no protocolo PediaSuit™, confeccionado em PVC. O suporte é dado através de elastômeros fixados a um cinto, permitindo assim uma marcha mais próxima do natural. Objetivo: Avaliar a marcha e a postura de crianças com Paralisia Cerebral a partir do uso de uma Unidade Terapêutica Domiciliar de baixo custo e baixa mecanização. Método: Foram realizados testes visando analisar a resistência mecânica do material utilizado e ensaios com o protótipo construído. O PVC mostrou ser um material com alta resistência nos testes de flexão e impacto. A massa máxima suportada pelo andador no teste realizado foi de aproximadamente 226 kg. Após a avaliação do equipamento, três crianças foram filmadas utilizando o andador em PVC e um andador comum. Aspectos da marcha e da postura foram avaliados por trinta fisioterapeutas através desses vídeos.Resultados: O andador em PVC apresentou melhores resultados em relação a todos os aspectos da marcha avaliados, promovendo uma deambulação mais próxima do normal. Em relação à resistência mecânica, os ensaios mostram que o PVC Ø32mm é um material adequado para a confecção de equipamentos de tecnologia assistiva, por ser capaz de suportar cargas elevadas sem se romper. A utilização desse material também proporcionou uma redução significativa no custo final do equipamento / Introduction: The involvement of certain muscle groups and sensorimotor deficits are some of the characteristics displayed by children with cerebral palsy, making necessary the use of stabilizers and gait trainers to assist posture and gait of those patients. There are assistive technology devices that promote these aspects, but the cost is still quite high, making them inaccessible to most people. In order to present an alternative with lower cost, a PVC stabilizer/ gait trainer based on PediaSuit™ protocol was developed at UTFPR and Vitória Research Center. The support is provided by elastomers fixed to a belt, thereby allowing a more natural gait pattern. Objective: To evaluate the gait and posture of children with cerebral palsy during the use of a low cost/ low mechanization Therapy Unit Homecare. Method: Some tests were carried out to determine the strength of the prototype and the material itself. PVC proved to be a material with high strength in bending and impact tests. The maximum mass supported by the walker in the test conducted was approximately 226 kg. After evaluating the equipment, images of three children using a reguar gait trainer and the PVC home care unit were taken. Aspects of gait and posture were analysed by thirty physiotherapists through these videos. Results: The PVC home care unit showed better results in regarding all aspects of gait evaluated by promoting closer to normal gait. The mechanical strength tests show that PVC Ø32mm is a suitable material for fabrication of assistive technology equipment, to be able to withstand high loads without breaking. The use of this material also provided a significant reduction in the final cost of the product.