Therapists' Perspectives: Supporting Children to Use Switches and Technology for Accessing Their Environment, Leisure, and Communication

Background: Many children with cerebral palsy learn to use technology to access their environments and communicate; however, minimal research informs practice. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study with purposive sampling recruited 10 therapists (occupational, speech, and physiotherapists) from o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of occupational therapy, schools & early intervention schools & early intervention, 2018-04, Vol.11 (2), p.133-147
Main Authors: Beauchamp, Fiona, Bourke-Taylor, Helen, Brown, Ted
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allied Health Personnel
Assistive Technology
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Cerebral Palsy
Communication Skills
Foreign Countries
Intervention
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Qualitative Research
Sampling
Semi Structured Interviews
Speech Therapy
Young Children
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Summary:Background: Many children with cerebral palsy learn to use technology to access their environments and communicate; however, minimal research informs practice. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study with purposive sampling recruited 10 therapists (occupational, speech, and physiotherapists) from one early intervention service. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analyzed thematically. Results: Four themes were derived: development of successful movement; positioning and equipment; access methodology and processes; and learning to communicate ("learning nonelectronic communication in parallel with electronic communication"). Conclusion: Practitioners described a multitude of skills and expertise to facilitate switch use in play and electronic communication devices in early childhood.
ISSN:1941-1243
1941-1251
DOI:10.1080/19411243.2018.1432443