Ballantyne, Marilyn

Parents of children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (NDDs) are at risk of sleep loss. No comprehensive systematic reviews examining parental sleep outcomes in caregivers of children with NDDs exist. A systematic search was conducted between June and August 2016 examining sleep quantity, quality, sleepiness, and fatigue outcomes of caregivers of children with NDDs. Of 7,534 citations retrieved, 33 met eligibility criteria. Most studies (n = 27) were cross-sectional, included a range of NDDs and were of “poor” (n = 14) or “fair” (n = 17) quality.

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) require ongoing rehabilitation services to address complex health care needs. Attendance at appointments ensures continuity of care and improves health and well-being. The study’s aim was to gain insight into mothers’ perspectives of the factors associated with nonattendance. A qualitative descriptive design was conducted to identify barriers and recommendations for appointment keeping. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 mothers of children with CP. Data underwent inductive qualitative analysis.