Behaviour problems of young motor disabled children at home and in the therapeutic toddler class

Abstract

Behaviour problems of young motor disabled children at home and in the therapeutic toddler class were examined and possible determinants and parents' need for and received help were assessed. The study is based on a representative sample of 81 motor disabled children with central nervous system related conditions, aged one to four years, newly admitted to a therapeutic toddler class of the Dutch rehabilitation centres. Behaviour problems were measured with the Child Behavior Checklist/2-3 and a Dutch behaviour questionnaire. At home, the prevalence of behaviour problems slightly exceeds the expected frequency in the general population of the same age. Significantly more mothers reported their children to display behaviour problems in general, and externalizing problems in particular, than infant teachers did in the therapeutic toddler class. The infant teachers significantly more often mentioned attentional problems. Externalizing behaviour problems at home occurred less frequently among children with the highest need for extra care-taking and with lowest self-help skills. Although one-third of the mothers expressed a need for help in dealing with their child's behaviour at home, half of them did not receive any help at all. The marked differences between behaviour problems at home and in the therapeutic toddler class are explained as part of the context in which assessment takes place. A more systematic approach of early parent guidance is recommended, given the severity of behaviour problems, their adverse consequences on both children and parents, and the parents' need for help in dealing with their child's behaviour.