None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The aim of this study is to assess feasibility, including the acceptability and fidelity, of a preschool dance participation intervention for extremely preterm (EP) children with motor impairment. Children born EP (<28 weeks gestation) are at increased risk of motor difficulty compared to children born at term. Motor skills developed during the preschool years provide the foundation for the development of more complex motor skills, and facilitate participation in lifelong physical activity (PA). Current evidence suggests that motor impairment in EP children persists throughout childhood and adolescence, with relevance for lifelong PA participation and associated health outcomes. A feasibility case series trial will recruit EP preschool age children with motor impairment from the Victorian Infant Collaborative Study 2016 cohort at the Royal Women’s Hospital (n=10). Melbourne based dance teachers will be recruited and provided with physiotherapy-led training and support to facilitate the participation of EP children in community dance classes. A mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative) will be used to analyse the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention from the perspectives of families and dance teachers.
Interventions
The intervention consists of two stages.
Stage 1: All participating dance teachers will receive face-to face physiotherapy-led training on teaching children with motor impairments and about motor learning principles. This training will be delivered at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia in a single session of 3-4 hours. The session will be delivered in small groups of 2-5 dance teachers. Dance training sessions will take place prior to the commencement of Term 4 2019 and Term 1
The intervention consists of two stages. Stage 1: All participating dance teachers will receive face-to face physiotherapy-led training on teaching children with motor impairments and about motor learning principles. This training will be delivered at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia in a single session of 3-4 hours. The session will be delivered in small groups of 2-5 dance teachers. Dance training sessions will take place prior to the commencement of Term 4 2019 and Term 1 2020. Participating dance teachers are only required to attend one session. In addition, dance teachers will be provided with supporting material in the form of an educational package. This educational package will be available as supplementary material to the published protocol. Session content was developed specifically for this study in accordance with relevant literature on participation and motor skill development in children with motor impairment. A member of the research team will be contactable throughout the study to assist with any queries or provide additional support for the participating dance teachers. Stage 2: Once informed consent is obtained, children will be matched with a dance class within an acceptable distance of the family’s home. These dance classes will be existing dance classes, and so attended by members of the public who are not participating in the study, as well as by study participants. The dance classes will be taught by a teacher who has attended the training session (stage 1). Dance teachers will aim to include motor learning strategies into their dance class. Examples of this include; repetition of movements, specificity, salience (focus on fun and engagement) and adapting dance steps and environment to enable just the right amount of challenge. Use of appropriate modelling and feedback types and frequency will also be encouraged. Implementation fidelity refers to the extent to which individuals (dance teachers) implement to intervention protocol (adherence), and the skillfulness of delivery (competence). Implementation fidelity will be monitored through observation performance evaluation using a predetermined checklist (available as supplementary material as part of published protocol) based upon the education session content. Each dance teacher will be observed twice throughout the intervention period by the same member of the research team in order to minimize inter-rater bias. Children will be enrolled to attend the dance class once per week for 8 weeks. Dance classes are likely to be variable in duration, but must be between 30-60 minutes. Dance class fees will be fully subsidised to facilitate involvement in the study and minimise financial barriers to participation. An attendance form will be completed by dance teachers throughout the term. An enjoyment scale will be completed by parents and children after each class.
Sponsors
Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
3 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Children must fulfil all of the following: 1) be part of the Victorian Infant Collaborative Study (VICS) 2016/2017 cohort, and be born extremely preterm (<28 weeks' gestation) or extremely low birth weight (<1000g) at the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia 2) have motor impairment, defined as scoring >1SD below the mean (established by the VICS 2005 term control cohort) on the mean motor score of the Bayley III Scale of Infant and Toddler Development assessed at 2 years of age. A mean value established from a contemporary cohort of healthy, term born Australian children will decrease the likelihood the Bayley-III will under predict motor impairment. 3) be three years corrected age at the beginning of the intervention period. Dance teachers must: 1. be teaching a preschool dance class 2. be able to attend a training session 3. have a valid Working with Children Check 4. have a valid First Aid certificate (or have a staff member in the studio who is the designated first aider)
Exclusion criteria
Children: exclusion criteria 1. Children who are unable to consistently follow simple commands (due to global developmental delay, receptive language disorders etc.) 2. Children who are non-ambulant. 3. Children who have any medical condition that precludes participation in physical activity. Dance teachers: exclusion criteria 1. Dance schools outside 100km radius of Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne 2. Dance classes are not conducted in English
Outcome results
None listed