Influence of the functional intervention on the development of essential social skills in children with life-limiting conditions

Abstract

Life-limiting conditions often cause children to be overlooked as participants in everyday activities. For parents child development should lead to independence in daily living activity. For parents of children who are disabled, independence is a step to a better quality of a child's life. The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of functional intervention of self-service activities in children with life-limiting conditions at the age of 3-6 years of life. 32 children aged 3-6 years (N = 32, girls and boys) were followed for two years. The Progress Assessment Chart of Personal and Social Development (PPAC) H.C Gunzburg according to Witkowski inventory was used to assess. After two years of functional intervention, statistically significant improvement in everyday activities was observed in examining group. The control group showed less progress than the study group, even though the children in the control group were older. Functional intervention allows for effective work with a patient with life-limited conditions. Better progress was observed in the younger group, subjected to therapy for the existence of developmental potential occurring in children with limitations in intellectual development.

Keywords: Childhood; Developmental delay; Early intervention; Family support; Life- limiting conditions; Qualitative data.