TY - JOUR

T1 - The rehabilitation including structured active play (RePlay) model: A conceptual model for organizing physical rehabilitation sessions based on structured active play for preschoolers with cancer

AU - Pouplier, Anna

AU - Larsen, Hanne Bækgaard

AU - Christensen, Jan

AU - Schmidt-Andersen, Peter

AU - Winther, Helle

AU - Fridh, Martin Kaj

N1 - CURIS 2022 NEXS 229

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Anti-cancer treatments, as well as cancer itself, reduce children’s cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and gross motor functions. Early rehabilitation programs, including physical activity for childhood cancer patients, can counteract these adverse effects. Previous studies of school-aged children (6–18 years old) indicate that physical activity, including aerobic and resistance training, is safe, feasible, and effective. The goal of structured physical activity rehabilitation for preschool children (1–5 years old) is to support gross motor development and opportunities to move freely in various ways. Specific rehabilitation for preschoolers diagnosed with cancer is needed to promote physical-, social-, and personal development. This paper introduces a conceptual model—The RePlay (Rehabilitation including structured active play) Model—for organizing physical rehabilitation sessions based on structured active play for preschoolers with cancer. The theory and empirically based model combine knowledge of early childhood development, play, physical activity and rehabilitation for children with cancer, and cancer treatment. With this model, we propose how to structure rehabilitation sessions, including goal-oriented, age-sensitive, fun movement activities that facilitate preschoolers to develop gross motor skills while enhancing their social and personal skills, through four core principles: (1) ritual practices, (2) reinforcement of movement through repetition, (3) development through appropriate challenge, and (4) adjusting activities to accommodate treatment-related side effects. This model holds promise for use with preschoolers diagnosed with cancer, as it is scalable and pragmatic and accounts for the children’s fluctuating physical capacity and daily wellbeing during cancer treatment.

AB - Anti-cancer treatments, as well as cancer itself, reduce children’s cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and gross motor functions. Early rehabilitation programs, including physical activity for childhood cancer patients, can counteract these adverse effects. Previous studies of school-aged children (6–18 years old) indicate that physical activity, including aerobic and resistance training, is safe, feasible, and effective. The goal of structured physical activity rehabilitation for preschool children (1–5 years old) is to support gross motor development and opportunities to move freely in various ways. Specific rehabilitation for preschoolers diagnosed with cancer is needed to promote physical-, social-, and personal development. This paper introduces a conceptual model—The RePlay (Rehabilitation including structured active play) Model—for organizing physical rehabilitation sessions based on structured active play for preschoolers with cancer. The theory and empirically based model combine knowledge of early childhood development, play, physical activity and rehabilitation for children with cancer, and cancer treatment. With this model, we propose how to structure rehabilitation sessions, including goal-oriented, age-sensitive, fun movement activities that facilitate preschoolers to develop gross motor skills while enhancing their social and personal skills, through four core principles: (1) ritual practices, (2) reinforcement of movement through repetition, (3) development through appropriate challenge, and (4) adjusting activities to accommodate treatment-related side effects. This model holds promise for use with preschoolers diagnosed with cancer, as it is scalable and pragmatic and accounts for the children’s fluctuating physical capacity and daily wellbeing during cancer treatment.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Pediatric oncology

KW - Preschoolers

KW - Rehabilitation

KW - Structured active play

KW - Physical activity

KW - Gross motor skills

KW - Social skills

KW - Personal skills

U2 - 10.3389/fped.2022.980257

DO - 10.3389/fped.2022.980257

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36238603

VL - 10

JO - Frontiers in Pediatrics

JF - Frontiers in Pediatrics

SN - 2296-2360

M1 - 980257

ER -