Design, development and usability of simulation doll for paediatric therapy

Global developmental delay refers to significant delay in two or more developmental domains in children aged 5 years or younger. Developmental domains include gross or fine motor skills, speech and language, cognition, personal-social and activities of daily living

Generally Pediatric physiotherapy units deal with various conditions such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophies, downs syndrome and spinal muscular atrophy. Early Physiotherapy interventions such as neuro developmental techniques  and balance traning, targetting gross motor developmental milestones significantly improves the motor ability of these children.

Parents are the primary and most enduring teachers of their children. Parent education is founded on the assumption that educating parents with new information will lower their anxiety. It encourages positive changes in parental attitudes and behaviour. Parent education and training includes directly training individual parents in behavioural procedures, teaching parents in groups, and using written manuals with limited direct consultation

Simulator training helps participants enhance their abilities in the real world. Through simulation-based learning, learners may practise clinical situations and activities. It results in increased self-efficacy in the physical therapy care of paediatric patients. Previously, there was a dearth of knowledge of simulation techniques; however, with current medical developments, simulated education has gained popularity

Physiotherapists use simulator dolls to demonstrate and train intervention   techniques. Currently two dolls are available on the digital platform. First one is a New-born baby model’ constructed of PVC. This does not present with moveable wrist and ankle joints. Second one is ’NDT Doll’ made of muslin fabric material This is unable to retain the position of its joints. Thus, the ttherapists do not have anatomically resembling dolls with realistic human joints. This poses difficulty in accurately demonstrating the exercises.

Hence,the aim of our study is to design, develop and check the usability of simulation doll for pediatrics therapy