Children with disabilities: understanding their daily lives and the importance of technology resources in attention in Occupational Therapy / Crianças com deficiência: compreendendo seu cotidiano e a importância do uso de recursos tecnológicos na atenção em Terapia Ocupacional

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2010

RESUMO

The research calls into question the use of technological resources, also known as Assistive Technology or Technology Service, in the work of the occupational therapist with children with disabilities. The study also aims to understand the daily lives of these children, describing the activities performed on the sociocultural context in which they operate, and investigate how to utilize technological resources. It introduces the concept of everyday life, understood as the place of confrontation between nature and culture, individual and generic, the social landscape of childhood disability and its impact on the structuring of daily activities. It also relates the concepts and principles of technological resources and practices of occupational therapists, on the assumption that the process of use of that resources is multidimensional, involving biomechanical, functional, emotional, subjective, political and ethical factors. The survey was conducted with children attended by a primary care unit located on the western outskirts of São Paulo. Grounded in qualitative research methodology, it examined two main themes -- daily activities and technological resources --, investigated in two stages. In the first stage, 22 children, aged 0-14 years, enrolled in the health service, were characterized by the study of their medical records and home visits for the application of a form completed by the caregivers. The form contained questions about history of disability, family composition and income, rehabilitation treatments performed, schools attended and activities that comprise the everyday life of the child. In addition, some activities were chosen (placement at home, transfers, locomotion, feeding, oral hygiene, hygiene, bathing, using the bathroom, dressing, playing and communication) to be investigated in terms of the use of technological resources, the frequency of use and the source for obtaining the resource and the type of aid received by the child in the execution of the activity. In the second stage, five children were chosen from the group formerly described for observation of their daily activities and conduction of semi-structured interviews with primary care providers. The interview considered the caregivers perception about the childs activities, the difficulties and the need of assistance due to the disability, as well as the role of the technological resources. A photographic record of the resources used by children has been provided. It was found that the activities are organized according to time, space, modes of action adopted by children and by their caregivers, established family and social relationships and the possibility of accessing services in the areas of Health, Education and Culture. Children used technology resources in activities performed at their homes, schools and other surroundings, which in some cases favored the typical experience in the scope of daily life. The existence of the resource did not ensure its usage and the lack of resources for some activities affected the development, the learning and the participation of the children. Many features of daily life described in the literature could be identified as factors that influence on the way the resources are used or not, such as spontaneity, pragmatism and economicism. Technological resources for transportation are the most specialized and most frequently used ones and were acquired by means of public funds. Most of the resources used in other activities, such as feeding, dressing, using the bathroom, are not specialized and were provided out of solutions designed by the families themselves, who adapted their modes of action and the tools available at their domain. The obtained data confirm the assumptions of the research and serve as a basis to justify the practice of occupational therapists, emphasizing an approach that considers the different dimensions involved in the use of resources, experienced on the daily living of the child so that they can be real instruments that foster autonomy and independence, and also facilitators of their social inclusion.

ASSUNTO(S)

daily activities equipamentos de auto-ajuda social inclusion occupational therapy crianças com deficiência inclusão social terapia ocupacional self-help devices atividades cotidianas children with disabilities

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

Documentos Relacionados