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Published in: Child's Nervous System 5/2024

22-01-2024 | Rhizotomy | Research

Impact of selective dorsal rhizotomy to cerebral palsy children caregivers’ burden

Authors: Bernardo Assumpcao de Monaco, Alessandra Alves Du Rocher Candido, Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira, Eduardo Joaquim Lopes Alho

Published in: Child's Nervous System | Issue 5/2024

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Abstract

Purpose

It is known that cerebral palsy (CP) children’s caregivers suffer from burden, depression, and stress, impairing their quality of life (QoL). The more severe the CP, the more burden the caregiver has. Psychosocial support, education, therapies, and financial support are inversely related to the level of stress of the caregiver. Most parents of CP patients submitted to selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) report improvement not just on spasticity, but also in the functional role of the children, what can impact on caregiver’s QoL. Our objective was to evaluate the burden of CP children’s caregivers with and without previous SDR.

Methods

Spastic CP children caregivers were divided into two groups: those who take care of children without previous SDR (control group) and those that children were previously submitted to SDR (surgical group). The burden index was compared between groups using Burden Interview Questionnaire (BIQ). For statistical analysis, we used SPSS.

Results

The control group had enrolled 31 participants and the surgical group 36. The mean GMFCS level on the control and surgical groups was 3.94 ± 1.26 and 3.74 ± 1.12 (p = 0.61), respectively. The surgical group caregivers presented less burden related to the feeling that they should be doing more to their child (p = 0.003) and if they could do a better job in caring (p = 0.032), compared to controls. The total BIQ index was not significantly different between groups (surgical 32.14 ± 12.34 vs. control 36.77 ± 12.77; p = 0.87). Low economic status had a weak correlation to a higher BIQ index (R2 = 0.24). After age-matching, there was a significative higher BIQ index in the control group (p = 0.008).

Conclusion

Caregivers of spastic CP children who were previously submitted to SDR presented less burden related to feeling of the amount of given care than those without previous surgery. The impression that they could do a better job with their kids was higher in the control group. The severity of CP and low economic status were related to more burden in both groups. After pairing groups by age, the control group had a significative higher BIQ index compared to the SDR group.

Clinical trial registration

Trial registration number: CAAE 73407317.6.0000.0068 (Ethical and Research Committee of University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, approved on 08/06/2021). All the subjects were freely given an informed consent to participate in the study that was obtained from all participants. Non-consented ones were excluded from the study.
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Literature
5.
go back to reference Marrón EM, Redolar-Ripol D, Boixadós M et al (2013) Burden on caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: predictors and related factors. Universitas Psychologica 12:767–777 Marrón EM, Redolar-Ripol D, Boixadós M et al (2013) Burden on caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: predictors and related factors. Universitas Psychologica 12:767–777
23.
go back to reference Abbott R, Johann-Murphy M, Shiminski-Maher T et al (1993) Selective dorsal rhizotomy: outcome and complications in treating spastic cerebral palsy. Neurosurgery 33:851–857PubMed Abbott R, Johann-Murphy M, Shiminski-Maher T et al (1993) Selective dorsal rhizotomy: outcome and complications in treating spastic cerebral palsy. Neurosurgery 33:851–857PubMed
Metadata
Title
Impact of selective dorsal rhizotomy to cerebral palsy children caregivers’ burden
Authors
Bernardo Assumpcao de Monaco
Alessandra Alves Du Rocher Candido
Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira
Eduardo Joaquim Lopes Alho
Publication date
22-01-2024
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keyword
Rhizotomy
Published in
Child's Nervous System / Issue 5/2024
Print ISSN: 0256-7040
Electronic ISSN: 1433-0350
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-024-06291-1

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