Effect of the Bobath Technique, Conductive Education and Education to Parents in Activities of Daily Living in Children with Cerebral Palsy in Iran

Abstract

Objective: In children with cerebral palsy, one of the most important roles of occupational therapists is to promote the children’s independence in functional performance. The goal of this study was to compare the effect of the Bobath technique, conductive education (CE), and education to parents in activities of daily living (ADLs) in children with cerebral palsy aged 4–8 years in Iran. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental clinical trial with pre/post design. Forty-five children with cerebral palsy were selected by convenience sampling in a rehabilitation centre and allocated to three groups by matching closely their sex, age, and IQ; 15 children were in the Bobath group, 15 were in the CE group, and 15 were in the education-to-parents group. Outcome measures were the Goodenough test and the Client Development Evaluation Report. Results: There were no significant differences in mean age (p = .261) and IQ (p = .449) at baseline among the three groups. There were significant differences in ADLs after treatment within each group (p = .001). Significant differences were also found in the average total ADLs scores between the three groups after treatment (p < .0001). We found that the most effective approach was CE, followed by education to parents and the Bobath technique. There were significant differences between 12 sub-skills out of 16 in ADLs in the three groups, and children in the CE group achieved higher scores in comparison with other groups. Conclusion: The Bobath technique, CE, and education to parents improved ADL skills in children with cerebral palsy. In the CE approach, group education promoted better social communication and more mobility in familiar environments. On the other hand, practical education and treatment programmes improved ADLs skills.