Effect of Power Wheelchairs on the Development and Function of Young Children With Severe Physical Disabilities

Self-produced locomotion often is limited in children with cerebral palsy and other conditions that cause severe motor impairments. As a result, these children may be at risk for secondary impairments in spatial cognition, communication, social development, and other domains influenced by independent mobility. To compensate, power mobility has increasingly been advocated for young children with severe motor impairments. The study hypotheses were: 1. Children with severe disabilities that prevent independent locomotion who learn to use power mobility devices when they are 14- to 30-months-of-age will have greater communication, social, and cognitive development over a 12-month period, and will demonstrate more competent coping skills than children with the same characteristics who do not use power mobility. 2. Parents of children who use power mobility will view it as a positive influence on their children's lives, and will perceive their children's development to be more mature than the parents of children who do not use power mobility will perceive their children's development.