The process of rehabilitation for 0-6 year old children with cerebral palsy at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya

Abstract

Introduction: Cerebral palsy is one of the leading causes of disability globally. The number of new cases of children with cerebral palsy (CP) is on the increase. Rehabilitation is the most common intervention used to help children with CP in Kenya. Early initiation of the rehabilitation process, and involvement of the family are important for optimal functional outcomes for children with cerebral palsy. This study aimed to establish the incidence of children under six years old with CP at the physiotherapy and occupational therapy department at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya in 2015. This was done in order to establish the need for rehabilitation services. Furthermore, the study aimed to explore and describe the direct patient process of care as part of the current rehabilitation process followed for children with CP from the age of 0to 6 years in order to identify any room for improvement. Study population and Methodology: Data were collected in two phases. Phase A consisted of collecting information pertaining to the number of new cases (incidence) of children with CP under six years of age in 2015 treated at the therapy (occupational and physiotherapy) departments at KNH. For this purpose, all records of children with CP under the age of six years at the rehabilitation department in 2015 were included and reviewed. For Phase B, a mixed methods approach and a parallel convergent design were used to explore the direct patient process of care component of the rehabilitation process.