For a study, researchers sought to investigate how parents see functional electrical stimulation (FES), an upper extremity (UE) technique for young children with hemiparesis. The exploratory qualitative study included parents of children aged 3 to 6 years who had experienced a prenatal stroke, had compromised UE function, and had taken part in a hospital-based 12-week FES intervention. About 1 week after their child finished the FES intervention (MyndMove®, MyndTec Inc.) aimed at the hemiparetic UE, 9 moms participated in a semi-structured interview. Parents’ objectives and perceptions of the FES intervention’s advantages and drawbacks were questioned through open-ended questions. Interviews were verbatim captured on audio, then transcribed. The transcripts were examined using qualitative conventional content analysis. A total of different themes were found. The FES intervention’s expectations from the parents. Mothers spoke of setting practical, exploratory, and attainable goals while initially being wary of FES. The perception of progress. With FES, improvements in the physical, functional, and psychological aspects were seen, but there was still an opportunity for growth. Elements that affected the FES intervention. Perceived success was influenced by program structure, therapist characteristics, and child factors. Limited availability of intense therapy. The mothers noticed that standard therapy does not include FES, but they desired access to FES outside the trial. They also emphasized the socioeconomic barriers to FES access. Techniques to encourage participation. The mothers offered advice on developing and implementing programs and conducting sessions. Mothers thought their kids would benefit physically, functionally, and psychologically from the FES intervention. The desire to continue FES underscores the necessity of expanding young children’s access to this therapy.
Source: bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-022-03403-1
