Impacto del periodo de confinamiento por la pandemia COVID-19 en España sobre la salud y la atención recibida por los niños, niñas y jóvenes con discapacidad originada en la infancia / The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the health and care of children and adolescents with a childhood-onset disability

Introducción Durante el periodo inicial del confinamiento por la COVID-19 se tomaron una serie de medidas de restricción que modificaron el día a día de la población. En este estudio se buscó conocer el impacto de este periodo en la salud física y mental de niños y jóvenes con discapacidad originada en la infancia, y de sus familias, y describir los cambios que se produjeron en el acceso a la educación y a los servicios de salud. Material y métodos Se realizó un estudio analítico observacional y transversal. Los datos se obtuvieron mediante una encuesta electrónica a través de una plataforma online realizada por la Academia Europea de Discapacidad Infantil. La encuesta incluyó preguntas sobre cuatro bloques temáticos: características sociodemográficas y de salud, impacto del confinamiento en la salud y bienestar, acceso a la educación y a los servicios de salud. Resultados Se obtuvieron 145 respuestas. El 45,5% de los niños y jóvenes eran totalmente dependientes. Se percibió un impacto sobre su salud física (54,5%), mental (47,6%) y sobre ambas (32%), mayores niveles de estrés (68,3%) y problemas de sueño (41,4%), así como una sobrecarga muy elevada en el 84,8% de los progenitores, sobre todo en familias de niños con mayor nivel de dependencia (p<0,001). El 55% de los niños y jóvenes no recibieron ningún tratamiento durante este periodo, ni siquiera remoto. Conclusiones El confinamiento afectó en gran medida la salud física y mental, así como a los servicios recibidos por los niños y jóvenes con discapacidad y sus familias (AU)

Introduction During the initial period of COVID-19 lockdown, restriction measures modified the day-to-day life of the population. This study sought to know the impact of this period on the physical and mental health of children and young people with disabilities originating in childhood, and their families, and to describe the changes that occurred in access to education and health services. Material and methods An observational and cross-sectional analytical study was carried out. The data were obtained by means of an electronic survey through an online platform carried out by the European Academy of Childhood Disability. The survey included questions on four thematic blocks: sociodemographic and health characteristics, impact of lock down on health and well-being, and access to education and health services. Results One hundred and forty-five responses were obtained. 45.5% of the children and young people were totally dependent. There was an impact on their physical (54.5%), mental health (47.6%) and both (32%), higher levels of stress (68.3%), and sleep problems (41.4%), as well as a high burden in 84.8% of parents, especially in families of children with a higher level of dependency (P=.00). 55% of children and young people did not receive any treatment during this period, not even remotely. Conclusions COVID lock down period greatly affected physical and mental health, as well as the services for children and young people with disabilities and their families (AU)

Análisis de la situación de la fisioterapia en los centros educativos en España / Analysis of the situation of School-based Physiotherapy Services in Spain

Antecedentes y objetivo: El alumnado con necesidades educativas especiales puede necesitar el apoyo específico y especializado de fisioterapia, con el fin de facilitar el desarrollo de su máximo potencial y ayudar en su inclusión educativa. La información acerca de la implementación de la fisioterapia en los centros educativos en el territorio español es muy escasa. El objetivo de este estudio es describir la situación de la fisioterapia en los centros educativos y compararla entre las diferentes comunidades autónomas. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal a través de la elaboración de una encuesta online, diseñada junto a un panel de expertos a través del método Delphi. Se incluyeron seis bloques temáticos relacionados con la atención de fisioterapia, las condiciones laborales de los fisioterapeutas en los centros educativos y con la cobertura de las necesidades del alumnado. Resultados: Se obtuvieron 178 respuestas. Su distribución geográfica fue homogénea, aunque se detectaron grandes diferencias entre las comunidades autónomas. La mayoría de las personas encuestadas trabajan en centros de educación especial y existen comunidades autónomas en las que no se trabaja en centros ordinarios. Solo el 28,4% contestaron que la figura del fisioterapeuta está integrada en los equipos de orientación educativa de su comunidad autónoma y tienen la función de determinar la necesidad del recurso. Conclusiones: El desarrollo del trabajo de fisioterapia en los centros educativos como apoyo al alumnado con necesidades educativas especiales es desigual entre las comunidades autónomas, y en algunas, se considera insuficiente.

Background and objective: Students with special educational needs may need the specific and specialized support of Physiotherapy in order to facilitate the development of their maximum potential and help in their educational inclusion. The information about school-based Physical Therapy development in Spain is very scarce. The objective of this study is to describe the situation of physiotherapy in educational centers and compare it among the different autonomous communities. Materials and methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out through the elaboration of an online survey, designed together with a panel of experts using the Delphi method. Six thematic blocks were included related to the provision of the physiotherapy service, working conditions and the coverage of the students’ needs. Results: 178 responses were obtained. Their geographical distribution was homogeneous, although large differences were detected among the autonomous communities. Most of the participants work in special education centers and there are autonomous communities in which physical therapists do not work in ordinary centers. Only 28.4% answered that the physiotherapist is integrated into the educational orientation teams of their autonomous community and has the function of determining the need for the resource. Conclusions: School-based Physiotherapy services to support students with special educational needs is unequal among the autonomous communities, and in some of them it is considered insufficient.

Realidad virtual como herramienta en fisioterapia, ¿ficción o realidad? / Virtual reality as a tool in physiotherapy: Fiction or reality?

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Central fatigue induced by short-lasting finger tapping and isometric tasks: A study of silent periods evoked at spinal and supraspinal levels.

The neural substrates of fatigue induced by muscular activity have been addressed in depth in relation to isometric tasks. For these activities, when fatigue develops, it has been noted that the duration of the silent periods (SPs) increases in response to both transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of primary motor cortex or electric cervicomedullary stimulation (CMS). However, fatigue is known to be task-dependent and the mechanisms giving rise to a decrease in motor performance during brief, fast repetitive tasks have been less studied. We hypothesized that fatigue induced by repetitive fast finger tapping may have physiological mechanisms different from those accounting for fatigue during an isometric contraction, even in cases of matched effort durations. In these tasks, we examined the contribution of spinal and supraspinal motor circuits to the production of fatigue. The tapping rate and maximal voluntary contractions (MVC), and TMS- and CMS-evoked SPs were obtained at the time of fatigue, and while subjects maintained maximal muscle activation after fast finger-tapping (or isometric activity) of different durations (10 or 30s). Results showed different mechanisms of fatigue triggered by isometric contraction and repetitive movements, even of short duration. Short-lasting repetitive movements induce fatigue within intracortical inhibitory circuits. They increased TMS-SPs, but not CMS-SPs. On the other hand, isometric contraction had a clear impact on spinal circuits. The consideration of these differences might help to optimize the study of fatigue in physiological conditions and neurological disorders.

Effects of early or late-evening fatiguing physical activity on sleep quality in non-professional sportsmen.

AIMS: This study aims to understand whether night sleep--quality is distorted by fatiguing physical activity (PA) when conducted early or late in the evening. METHODS: Participants and Intervention: 9 males (18--38yrs) performed sessions of fatiguing--PA over 3 consecutive days (Mon--Wed), for 2 weeks. One week the PA was performed at 17h, and in the other week at 21h. A Control--week included no PA (PA ABSENT ). The fatiguing--PA sessions comprised several sets of the 20m Shuttle--Run--Test (20mSRT). Sleep was assessed by actigraphic recordings acquired over 3 nights each week. It included the nights following the PA--sessions and the same days in the week of PA ABSENT . Sleep--quality perception was evaluated by mean of the National Sleep Foundation--Sleep Diary. The heart--rate (HR) and body--temperature (BT) at bed--time and waking--up were also registered. RESULTS: Neither the 20mSTR--estimated VO 2max nor the number of maximal 20mSRT sets were different in the PA 17h and PA 21h sessions. Compared to the PA ABSENT , the PA 17h and PA 21h sessions increased the HR at bedtime, which recovered to baseline level after the night of sleep. BT was also reduced when waking--up compared to bed--time, but this was also observed in PA ABSENT . Sleep parameters measured by means of actigraphy were not modified by fatiguing activity when compared to PA ABSENT. Nevertheless, the subjective perception of sleep--quality was negatively altered by fatiguing PA. CONCLUSIONS: Fatiguing PA performed early or late at the evening has no impact on objective sleep--quality but, subjectively, a deterioration of sleep--quality is perceived by the subjects.