The Usage of a Hand-Made Chair at Home for Children with Moderate to Severe Cerebral Palsy: Preliminary Study
Wantana Siritaratiwat PhD*, Rumrada Inthachom MSc**, Somporn Warnset PhD***
Affiliation : * Improvement of Physical Performance and Quality of Life Research Group, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand ** Physical Therapy Department, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Pitsanulok, Thailand *** School Director, Piboonprachasan School, Bangkok, Thailand
Background : Specially designed chairs are expensive. A hand-made chair easily constructed from recycled material can be
an alternative option. However, data on the feasibility of hand-made chair use at home is limited. The present study aimed to
explore the usage of a hand-made chair at home in children with moderate to severe motor disabilities.
Material and Method: Seventeen children with cerebral palsy were recruited. Main caregivers were interviewed regarding
the possibility of using the chair at home. Home visits and observations were also performed to explain how the chair had
been used at home.
Results : Nine children (52.9%) used the chair everyday. Seven of these nine children were seated at least 30 minutes each
time and two to three times per day. The total time that children spent on the hand-made chair each day ranged from 10 to
90 minutes.
Conclusion : The severity of disability and main caregivers’ workload may explain an inadequate usage of the hand-made
chair. A few modifications may help to improve the applicability of the hand-made chair.
Keywords : Hand-made chair, Children with cerebral palsy, Recycle materials
