RESUMO
AIM: To explore the perceptions of parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) participating in a modified sports intervention, Sports Stars Brazil. METHOD: Parents of children with CP (n = 15, 6-12 years old, nine males, six females), classified in Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I and II, who participated in the Sports Stars Brazil intervention, were recruited for this descriptive qualitative study. Children received the 8-week (1 hour per week) modified sports intervention. After the intervention, parents participated in a focus group. The F-word (fitness, family, fun, functioning, friends, and future) interpretation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health was used to guide the discussion. Participants were invited to report their experience of participating in the intervention using the F-words for a childhood disability model. Transcripts were coded using content analysis. RESULTS: Parents reported positive experiences of the Sports Stars Brazil intervention, including a decrease in sedentarism (fitness), improvement of motor skills (functioning), greater connection between child and family (family), better socialization (friends), increased participation in pleasurable activities (fun), and awareness of the importance of physical activity (future). All positive experiences were interconnected. INTERPRETATION: This study presents the ability of the Sports Stars Brazil intervention to integrate all aspects of functioning and supports its role as an engaging and promising intervention option for ambulant children with CP.
RESUMO
PURPOSE: To translate and investigate inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, content validity, and construct validity of the Brazilian-Portuguese Version of the Brachial Plexus Outcome Measure Scale (BPOM-Br). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The translation followed international guidelines. Inter-rater reliability was tested with 51 individuals with Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy (NBPP), aged between 4 to 16 years old. To determine concurrent construct validity, children were also assessed with the Mallet Scale. Statistical analysis included Bland-Altman, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Floor and Ceiling and effect, and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: The majority of the sample consisted of children with upper NBPP (75.2%), mean age of 8.9 years old. BPOM-Br showed appropriate content validity (comprehensiveness) according to rehabilitation professionals. It also showed excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.90) and internal consistency (α = 0.91). Bland-Altman analysis showed bias close to zero. Finally, BPOM-Br showed overall significant positive correlations with the Mallet scale items (rs= 0.31 to 0.78 p < 0.05), indicating adequate concurrent validity. CONCLUSIONS: BPOM-Br is a consistent, reliable, and valid instrument to assess activity of school-aged children with NBPP.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThe Brazilian-Portuguese Version of the Brachial Plexus Outcome Measure Scale (BPOM-Br) presents understandable items and no ceiling and floor effects.The BPOM-Br provides a valid and reliable version for use in Brazilian school-aged children with neonatal brachial plexus palsy.It is important to promote its use both in clinical practice and in research as a specific evaluation of activity domain.
