Original Research
The perceptions of parents and caregivers on the causes of disabilities in children with cerebral palsy: A qualitative investigation
South African Journal of Physiotherapy | Vol 57, No 2 | a502 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajp.v57i2.502
| © 2018 M. M. Mweshi, R. Mpofu
| This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 30 August 2018 | Published: 31 May 2001
Submitted: 30 August 2018 | Published: 31 May 2001
About the author(s)
M. M. Mweshi, Francis Sisters, Luanshya, ZambiaR. Mpofu, Department of Physiotherapy, University of the Western Cape, South Africa
Full Text:
PDF (150KB)Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of parents and caregivers on the causes of disabilities in children with cerebral palsy in selected areas of the Cape Metropolitan. A qualitative research design was chosen for the investigation. Data collection was by semi-structured interviews. The results showed that the range of variation in the beliefs of the parents and caregivers concerning the cause of the child’s disability and the stigma attached was quite considerable. However, the majority of the informants hardly knew the causes of disabilities while only a few informants seemed to have known. It is recommended that health professionals who work with families directly could play a major role in preventing unnecessary stressful situations by providing adequate information about the child’s condition in terms of aetiology and the likely prognosis. Helping and working with such families require a multidisciplinary effort, effective communication among families and professionals, and knowledge of community resources.
Keywords
Caregiving; cerebral palsy; disability; naturalistic; personalistic
Metrics
Total abstract views: 1216Total article views: 604
Crossref Citations
1. Qualitative research in physiotherapy: A systematic mapping review of 20 years literature from sub-Saharan Africa
Michael Kalu, Augustine Okoh, Chukwuebuka Okeke, Ebuka Anieto, Michael Ibekaku, Ukachukwu Abaraogu
Physiotherapy Theory and Practice vol: 39 issue: 4 first page: 704 year: 2023
doi: 10.1080/09593985.2022.2028952