The Uses and Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy Physical Activity Interventions in Young Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) is often used to support the development of young children (<5 years) with disabilities. The effectiveness of PA as an occupational therapy (OT) treatment approach in this population has not yet been systematically examined. AIMS: This research aimed to explore the uses and effectiveness of OT PA interventions on developmental indicators in young children with developmental disabilities. METHODS: A systematic review of peer-reviewed publications (from 2000 onward) across six electronic databases was conducted. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework was used to assess study quality. Narrative synthesis (vote counting and structured reporting of effects) was employed to summarize the findings. RESULTS: Eight studies with heterogenous interventions were included. Evidence demonstrated positive trends of participation in the PA interventions on physical, cognitive, and social-emotional indicators, with significance varying. There was no association between interventions and communication indicators or negative effects related to participation in the interventions. Overall, the studies were low-quality when judged by GRADE. CONCLUSIONS: PA may be a promising avenue for OT interventions among young children with developmental disabilities. Rigorous research is needed to determine the magnitude of effect PA has on developmental indicators.

A scoping Review of Tools to Evaluate Existing Playgrounds for Inclusivity of Children with Disabilities.

Introduction: Children with disabilities may be unable engage playground spaces due to barriers exacerbating exclusion. Therefore, clarity on how to evaluate existing playgrounds for inclusivity of children with disabilities is required. Methods: A scoping review was undertaken to explore auditing tools. Results: Fourteen white and grey literature resources were identified. The term "inclusion" was operationalized differently across tools, primarily focusing on physical accessibility. Characteristics of the tools were synthesized into 13 inclusive design recommendations for playgrounds. Two tools showed promise, evaluating 12/13 recommendations. Discussion: The results of this review provide guidance on existing tools for evaluating playgrounds for inclusion for community stakeholders and researchers. Systematic Review Registration: https://osf.io/rycmj.

Exploring the relationships between race, ethnicity, and school and work outcomes among youth and young adults with disabilities: a scoping review.

PURPOSE: Youth with disabilities often encounter barriers in finding meaningful employment and completing post-secondary education. Such challenges are often even more profound for youth who identify as an ethnic minority. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between race, ethnicity and school and work outcomes for youth with disabilities. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review while searching eight international databases that identified 49 studies meeting our inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Of the 49 studies that were included in the review, they involved youth and young adults with disabilities (aged 6-29) over a 21-year period. The majority of the studies focusing on school showed that ethnic minority youth with disabilities had poorer school outcomes compared to white youth with disabilities. Meanwhile, most studies focusing on work reported that ethnic minority youth with a disability had worse employment outcomes compared to white disabled youth. Factors influencing school and work included cultural differences in expectations, inequitable access to services and resources, and discrimination. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the disparities that exist for young people with disabilities from ethnic minority backgrounds. There is an urgent need for further research to understand their lived experiences to help address gaps in school and work outcomes.Implications for rehabilitationClinicians and educators should help to provide ethnic minority youth with equitable resources and opportunities to help them achieve their school and career goals.Clinicians and educators should consider participating in culturally sensitive care training to better understand the different needs and experiences of ethnic minority youth with disabilities.Clinicians and educators should try to work collectively with parents and ethnic minority youth with disabilities to optimize their transition outcomes.