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Description

The population of children with limb loss fall into a category of children with chronic physical disability and are vulnerable to functional challenges resulting in adverse impacts on their participation and performance of life activities, known as occupational participation. A mixed method research study was aimed at answering the following research questions: (a) is there an impact on the engagement in meaningful everyday activities for children with prosthetic limbs, considering the functional, emotional, and social challenges they might encounter? (b) does their level of engagement in meaningful everyday activities have an impact on their quality of life (QoL) and (c) how does the care they receive influence their QoL?

Assessment measures were administered, and interviews were completed. The inclusion criteria consisted of pediatric prosthetic users between the ages of 8 and 18 years with at least one prosthetic limb and their primary caregiver. A total of 8 families participated in this study.

This study found areas of significant challenge to this population that impact their overall QoL. These include their communication and interactive skills impacting their psychosocial well-being, physical participation impacting their occupational participation, and systemic issues of healthcare and insurance coverage impacting their obtainment of necessary prosthetic limbs. This study confirmed that the skill set of occupational therapy (OT) is not being utilized to its fullest potential and that there is a general lack of understanding among the healthcare professionals who treat pediatric prosthetic users regarding each other's scope of practice and level of expertise. An increased awareness of the skill set that OT’s can provide to pediatric amputees regardless of their amputation level, is necessary so that their unmet needs can be better addressed.

Publication Date

4-2022

Publisher

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

Keywords

Quality of life, occupational participation, pediatric prosthetic users

Medical Subject Headings

Child, Adolescent, Amputees, Artificial Limbs, Quality of Life, Occupational Therapy, Delivery of Healthcare, Scope of Practice

Disciplines

Occupational Therapy | Pediatrics

Comments

Poster presented at the Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium, held online at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences April 14-16, 2022.

Quality of Life for Pediatric Prosthetic Users

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