From authority to coach – Parents' experiences of stretching as a home programme for children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Abstract Stretching is a common treatment for children with cerebral palsy, carried out by parents together with their children in the home. The aim of the present study was to explore parents’ experiences of carrying out stretching as a home programme. In order to capture the informants’ own perceptions and experiences, a qualitative method, the Grounded Theory, was chosen. Fifteen semi-structured interviews with parents, using open-ended questions, were analysed. One core category, “From authority to coach”, and two categories, “Prerequisites for parenting during stretching” and “Child and parent interaction”, emerged. The parents described a gradual development of their own role in the home stretching programme, from that of an authority, when the child was young, to that of a coach when the child grew older. With this gradual development came an increased level of participation from the child, enabling stretching to be carried out regularly. According to the parents, stretching could not be carried out without the child's active participation. Along with the process, the parents perceived increasing stress through added pressure and demands. Mobility, time, coping strategies for stress and support from professionals, in particular physiotherapists, were important prerequisites for parents to help their child best with stretching exercises.