Quality of life in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy and myelomeningocele

Balancing care and well-being: A study on the quality of life of primary caregivers parents of children with central nervous system congenital anomalies

BACKGROUND

Congenital anomalies of the central nervous system (CNS) pose significant challenges for affected children and their families. Despite extensive research on children with such disorders, studies addressing the quality of life of their primary caregivers remain limited. This study aims to fill this gap by focusing on assessing the quality of life of parents who are primary caregivers of children with CNS congenital anomalies under neurosurgical care.

METHODS

This descriptive, cross-sectional study assessed the quality of life of 44 parents primary caring for children with CNS congenital anomalies under neurosurgical care at a university hospital. Data were collected via the Parent Introduction Information Form and the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire-Short Form (WHOQOL-SF). The data were assessed via SPSS.

RESULTS

Primary caregivers parents reported the lowest quality of life scores in the social domain and the highest in the environmental domain. The child's gender significantly affects the social quality of life, whereas the type of diagnosis significantly affects the physical quality of life. Economic status affects the environmental quality of life, and low-income families face greater challenges.

CONCLUSION

Caring for children with CNS abnormalities profoundly impacts parents' quality of life. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, including economic and social support, to improve caregiver well-being.

Particularities of spasticity in myelomeningocele patients

OBJECTIVE

Myelomeningocele (MMC), a congenital neural tube defect, is the most common developmental anomaly of the central nervous system (CNS). Spasticity is among the main disabling factors in these patients, affecting up to 1/5 of children. The purpose of this article is to review the current knowledge regarding spasticity in MMC patients, mainly focusing on its manifestations and management.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted using the PubMed database for the terms "myelomeningocele" and "spasticity." Data were collected by 5 independent investigators and then synthesized in a scoping format.

RESULTS

Causes of spasticity in these patients include hydrocephalus, tethered cord syndrome (TCS), syringomyelia, CNS infection, and associated congenital brain and spine anomalies. Clinical manifestations include limb spasticity and neurogenic bladder. Spasticity primarily affects muscles below the neurological level and contributes to gait impairment. Besides walking ability, spasticity also severely affects functional mobility in general, self-care, and quality of life. The majority of MMC patients experience neurogenic bladder. Treatment of spasticity can be symptomatic or target its cause. Medical and surgical options are available for both limb and bladder spasticity. Regular physiotherapy and orthotics are used to prevent contractures and the early introduction of orthoses is the cornerstone of a gait training program. Neurosurgical treatment options for spasticity include nonablative and ablative procedures such as selective dorsal rhizototmy. The urodynamic pattern guides treatment strategies, with intermittent catheterization being the best treatment option for patients with underactive detrusor and overactive sphincter muscles.

CONCLUSION

Given the particularities of spasticity in MMC patients, a multidisciplinary team approach and early rehabilitation programs are keys for their optimal management.

The Quality of Life of Children with Myelomeningocele: A Cross-Sectional Preliminary Study

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between the defects and symptoms caused by myelomeningocele (MMC) and quality of life. Design: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Methods: The subjects were 52 parents of children with MMC. Structured questionnaires were used: the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL^TM 4.0) and a Study-Specific Questionnaire (SSQ). Results: The overall PedsQL^TM 4.0 score was 56.4 (SD ± 14.7). A strong, significant negative correlation was found between the children’s age and emotional functioning. Functioning in this area deteriorated with age by a mean of 1.5 points per year of age. Children with no hydrocephalus functioned significantly better than those with this defect in the physical, social, and school areas (p < 0.05). Foot deformities significantly (p = 0.033) adversely affected the children’s physical functioning. Living in a single-parent family had no statistically significant impact on functioning in any of the areas analyzed (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Understanding the QoL of children with MMC and identifying its determinants may help in planning interventions to minimize the adverse impact of the illness.

Clinical and Environmental Predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life in Lithuanian Children and Adolescents with Spina Bifida: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of a Nationally Represented Sample

Background and objectives: In pediatric chronic health conditions, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a useful indicator of health, development, and well-being. The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of clinical and environmental factors on the HRQOL of children and adolescents with spina bifida (SB). Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study of the sample of 99 children and adolescents with SB aged 5 to 17 years. The questionnaires used in the study were the Spina Bifida Health-Related Quality of Life instrument (HRQOL-SB), and the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth. Medical data were obtained from the medical records and the clinical examination. Results: A multivariate linear regression revealed that the most potent predictors of the HRQOL in children with SB were the community overall environmental supports (β = 0.504; p = 0.0001), a number of health conditions (β = -0.395; p = 0.0001), access to personal transportation (β = 0.236; p = 0.023), and supplies (β = 0.181; p = 0.031), explaining 80.3% of the variance in the SB-HRQOL scores. The most significant predictors of the HRQOL in adolescents were a number of health conditions (β = -0.387; p = 0.0001), cognitive demands of activities at home (β = 0.345; p = 0.0001), supplies (β = 0.267; p = 0.0001), money (β = 0.303; p = 0.0001), physical layout at school (β = 0.188; p = 0.008), and access to public transportation (β = 0.206; p = 0.019), explaining 89.5% of the variance in the SB-HRQOL scores. Conclusions: Both clinical and environmental factors determined the HRQOL of children and adolescents with SB. Environmental supports and resources contributed to HRQOL more than medical problems, especially in adolescents. The number of associated medical problems, reflecting disease severity, was the more potent clinical predictor compared to an individual health problem.

Economic Evaluation of Interventions for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Opportunities and Challenges

Economic evaluation is a tool used to inform decision makers on the efficiency of comparative healthcare interventions and inform resource allocation decisions. There is a growing need for the use of economic evaluations to assess the value of interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), a population that has increasing demands for healthcare services. Unfortunately, few evaluations have been conducted to date, perhaps stemming from challenges in applying existing economic evaluation methodologies in this heterogeneous population. Opportunities exist to innovate methods to address key challenges in conducting economic evaluations of interventions for children with NDDs. In this paper, we discuss important considerations and highlight areas for future work. This includes the paucity of appropriate instruments for measuring outcomes meaningful to children with NDDs and their families, difficulties in the measurement of costs due to service utilization in a wide variety of sectors, complexities in the measurement of caregiver and family effects and considerations in estimating long-term productivity costs. Innovation and application of evaluation approaches in these areas will help inform decisions around whether the resources currently spent on interventions for children with NDDs represent good value for money, or whether greater benefits for children could be generated by spending money in other ways.

Health-related quality of life in children with myelomeningocele: a systematic review of the literature

Myelomeningocele (MMC) is the most complex congenital birth defect compatible with life. To provide the best health care for children with MMC, clinicians and researchers have to understand health and functional status of their patients as well as factors influencing their quality of life (QOL). The objective is to review studies that assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and determinants of HRQOL in children with MMC. The data sources include MEDLINE, along with reference lists of relevant reviews and included articles. Study eligibility criteria are quantitative studies that assess HRQOL using validated HRQOL instrument. Participants include children aged 0-18 years with diagnosis of MMC or spina bifida. Risk of bias was assessed using the Hayden system for non-randomized studies. Narrative synthesis and tables of results of HRQOL studies were conducted. Children with MMC have decreased HRQOL compared with normative population. Physical HRQOL is the most exposed aspect of QOL, while discrepancies in psychosocial domains vary by study. Many determinants of QOL have been found, and it is still not clear which determinant can be described as the strongest predictor. Psychosocial factors are the most consistent determinants of HRQOL.Heterogeneous study sample size, study designs, determinant and outcomes measures limited synthesis of findings. The HRQOL in children with MMC is complex and mediated by a number of associated medical problems, together with a variety of psychosocial and environmental factors. Future research is needed (a) on the relation between complex medical problems, functional independence, parent's and clinician's expectation and HRQOL in children and (b) to assess the differences in HRQOL by social environment and healthcare system.

Past and current use of walking measures for children with spina bifida: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To describe walking measurement in children with spina bifida and to identify patterns in the use of walking measures in this population.

DATA SOURCES

Seven medical databases-Medline, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and AMED-were searched from the earliest known record until March 11, 2014. Search terms encompassed 3 themes: (1) children; (2) spina bifida; and (3) walking.

STUDY SELECTION

Articles were included if participants were children with spina bifida aged 1 to 17 years and if walking was measured. Articles were excluded if the assessment was restricted to kinematic, kinetic, or electromyographic analysis of walking. A total of 1751 abstracts were screened by 2 authors independently, and 109 articles were included in this review.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data were extracted using standardized forms. Extracted data included study and participant characteristics and details about the walking measures used, including psychometric properties. Two authors evaluated the methodological quality of articles using a previously published framework that considers sampling method, study design, and psychometric properties of the measures used.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Nineteen walking measures were identified. Ordinal-level rating scales (eg, Hoffer Functional Ambulation Scale) were most commonly used (57% of articles), followed by ratio-level, spatiotemporal measures, such as walking speed (18% of articles). Walking was measured for various reasons relevant to multiple health care disciplines. A machine learning analysis was used to identify patterns in the use of walking measures. The learned classifier predicted whether a spatiotemporal measure was used with 77.1% accuracy. A trend to use spatiotemporal measures in older children and those with lumbar and sacral spinal lesions was identified. Most articles were prospective studies that used samples of convenience and unblinded assessors. Few articles evaluated or considered the psychometric properties of the walking measures used.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a demonstrated need to measure walking in children with spina bifida, few valid, reliable, and responsive measures have been established for this population.

Assessing health-related quality of life in children with spina bifida

OBJECT

The purpose of this study is to explore various aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children with spinal dysraphism.

METHODS

The authors enrolled a prospective cohort of 159 patients from the multidisciplinary spina bifida clinic. Surveys were distributed to caregivers of patients with spina bifida who were 5 years old and older. Data were collected using the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 focusing on vision, speech, hearing, dexterity, ambulation, cognition, emotions, and pain. Each participant received an overall HRQOL utility score and individual domain subscores. These were correlated with demographic and treatment variables. Analysis was done using SPSS statistics (version 21).

RESULTS

There were 125 patients with myelomeningocele, 25 with lipomyelomeningocele, and 9 with other dysraphisms. Among patients with myelomeningocele, 107 (86%) had CSF shunts in place, 14 (11%) had undergone Chiari malformation Type II decompression, 59 (47%) were community ambulators, and 45 (36%) were nonambulatory. Patients with myelomeningocele had significantly lower overall HRQOL scores than patients with closed spinal dysraphism. Among patients with myelomeningocele, younger patients had higher HRQOL scores. Patients with impaired bowel continence had lower overall HRQOL scores. History of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt was associated with worse HRQOL (overall score, ambulation, and cognition subscores). History of Chiari malformation Type II decompression was associated with worse overall, speech, and cognition scores. Patients who could ambulate in the community had higher overall and ambulation scores. A history of tethered cord release was correlated with lower pain subscore. No association was found between sex, race, insurance type, or bladder continence and HRQOL.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with myelomeningocele have significantly lower HRQOL scores than those with other spinal dysraphisms. History of shunt treatment and Chiari decompression correlate with lower HRQOL scores.

A longitudinal examination of health-related quality of life in children and adolescents with spina bifida

OBJECTIVE

The current study examined (1) spina bifida (SB) youths' health-related quality of life (HRQOL) compared with nonclinical and chronic health condition (CHC) samples, (2) parent-child agreement regarding HRQOL, and (3) prospective changes in HRQOL.

METHODS

Child and parent-proxy reports of Pediatric Quality of Life were collected at two time waves (Time 1: N = 134, ages 8-15 years; Time 2: N = 109, ages 10-17 years) as part of a larger longitudinal study.

RESULTS

SB youth had statistically and clinically reduced physical HRQOL compared with the nonclinical and CHC samples at both time points. There were significant discrepancies between youth and parent-proxy reports of HRQOL; youth reported higher levels of physical and social HRQOL than parents. The majority of parent- and child-reported HRQOL domains remained stable, yet youth-reported social HRQOL increased over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Youth with SB are at risk for poor HRQOL. Examining modifiable condition and social-environmental predictors of youth HRQOL will be important in informing future interventions.

Comparison of Health-Related Quality of Life between children with cerebral palsy and spina bifida

This study has two aims-the first is to compare the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) between children with cerebral palsy (CP) and children with spina bifida (SB); the second is to investigate the relationship between HRQoL and age, sex, body mass index (BMI), level of ambulation, cooperation, family income and the mother's education level in both groups of children. The study included 96 children with CP and 70 children with SB (aged 5-18) who attended a physiotherapy and rehabilitation program at an institute of special training and rehabilitation. Socio-demographic information was obtained within the study. The Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ-PF50) was used to evaluate HRQoL. A significant difference was found in terms of age and BMI between children with CP and SB (p<0.05). HRQoL was lower for children with CP. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of role/social limitations - emotional behavioral, behavior, global behavior, parental impact-emotional and parental impact-time (p<0.05). A positive correlation was found between BMI and self-esteem in children with SB, unlike children with CP. The HRQoL of children with CP was lower than children with SB. The parameters of behavior and parental impact were particularly affected in the children with CP. Minimizing behavioral problems (which can improve with advancing age) of the children with CP and reducing parental impact are important for improving the HRQoL of both the child and parents. There is a need for further studies on this issue.