Research opportunities

Chronic Pain Assessment in Cerebral Palsy

Researchers from the University of Adelaide want to learn to better assess chronic pain for young people with Cerebral Palsy, so that pain can be better treated. They would like input to help them modify chronic pain assessment tools to make them more relevant for children and young people with Cerebral Palsy.

• Are you a parent or caregiver of a young person with Cerebral Palsy (2-30 years)?
• Are you an individual with Cerebral Palsy?
• Are you a clinician working with individuals with Cerebral Palsy (> 5 years experience)?

The online survey will ask how meaningful and clinically appropriate different assessment tools are, and how tools could be changed to better suit people with Cerebral Palsy.
Researchers are also looking for volunteers to participate in a 60 minute online discussion to suggest ways to change the tools.

Physical activity in children and their parents. How physical disability impacts it?

A research group from the University of Auckland is inviting parents and caregivers of children aged 5 – 18 with any mobility or dexterity impairment to participate in an anonymous online survey study. 

This research aims to understand how active New Zealand children with physical disabilities, and their parents, are and what barriers they have to being more active. 

Participants need to complete a 15-minute anonymous online survey. After the completion, they can enter a draw for one of 10 gift vouchers worth $100 each.

The study’s results will help us find ways to increase the activity level in children and adolescents with physical disabilities and their parents and, consequently, improve the general health of New Zealanders.

Please help us to make a difference!

To find out more, please download the Study flyer or use the Survey link. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Dr Elena Adaikina.

Raising a child who is living with Cerebral Palsy

Are you interested in participating in a research project on what it’s like raising a child who is living with Cerebral Palsy?

Meg Smith is a Doctoral student at AUT and would love to hear about your experience.

This research will form part of her thesis. She is supported by her two AUT supervisors, Dr Julie Blamires and Dr Mandie Foster.

This study involves an interview with Meg to talk about what it is like to raise a child who is living with Cerebral Palsy in New Zealand.

This will take approximately 60-90 minutes of your time and will take place where ever you feel most comfortable. This could be your home, in a community centre or in another location.

A $40 voucher will be given to you as a gift for the time and knowledge you have contributed.

If you would like to know more, or already know you’d like to participate please contact Meg on 021 071 1075 or email her at megsmi03@autuni.ac.nz.

Transitioning from Early Intervention to School based therapy services

Kia Ora,

Researchers at RTRU (University of Otago) are keen to talk to parents of children aged 6-8 years old with Cerebral Palsy to explore their experiences as they transitioned from Child Development Services (CDS) to school-based therapy services, and how prepared they were for this change in service.
We want to know how your experiences with CDS therapists (physiotherapists / occupational therapists / visiting neurodevelopmental therapists) prepared you for this transition.

We are hoping that by you sharing your experience, we can help therapists improve the way they work with families / whānau to make sure tamariki have the best developmental outcome as they move from one service to another.
This research is part of a Masters of Rehabilitation thesis by Sally Kidd (Physiotherapist).

Involvement in this research incudes filling in a very short questionnaire online, followed by a one hour interview (by Zoom). Family will be given a $30 koha (gift voucher) as an appreciation of their time.

To find out more, please download the Study Invitation.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Sally.kidd@postgrad.otago.ac.nz

Helping kids with Cerebral Palsy to be more physically active

Researchers at the Liggins Institute at the University Auckland are inviting parents and their children with Cerebral Palsy (ages 8-14) based in Auckland to take part in the PARTCIPATE-CP study.

The PARTICIPATE-CP program aims to help kids with Cerebral Palsy to do the sports and physical activities that are meaningful to them.

The program involves 1 hour of face-to face therapy for your child for 12 weeks, delivered by a trained therapist, who will work with you and your child to achieve goals about participating in sports and physical activities. The therapy will take place in your home and places where sports and activities take place in your local community.

Please download the Study Flyer and Information Sheet, and contact Dr Sian Williams for more information.