Evaluating the impact of school-based rebound therapy on chest health in children and young people with neurodisability and respiratory issues: a series of single case studies
Creators: name: Lozano, Rachel Knight
name: Shannon, Harriet
name: Bell, Kayleigh
name: Melluish, Julia
name: Morris, Christopher
name: Rapson, Rachel
name: Marsden, Jonathan
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2025
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Science Policy

description: To evaluate feasibility and impact of an individualised rebound therapy programme on chest health in children with complex neurodisability. A single-case ABA design was conducted over 18 weeks with five children aged 5–15 years with complex neurodisability. Intervention involved twice weekly rebound therapy for six consecutive weeks in school. Summary outcomes included parent/carer-reported chest health, quality-of-life and clinician-observed motor ability. Serial weekly outcomes included chest health observations, usual care changes, adherence and adverse events. Parents completed a semi-structured interview after follow-up. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Within-case and across-case findings indicated improvement in motor ability following rebound therapy intervention. Additional trends of improvement were noted in parent/carer-reported chest health and quality-of-life, but these changes were not specific to the intervention phase. Improvements in motor ability, chest health and quality-of-life indicators were verified through qualitative interview data. Co-design successfully informed an inclusive, feasible intervention study for children with complex neurodisability. However, overall improvement in parent/carer-reported chest health, quality-of-life and observed motor ability were not limited to the intervention phase. Measurement tools lacked published thresholds to determine if changes were clinically significant. Rebound therapy is a feasible school-based intervention to promote rehabilitation through physical activity participation in children with complex neurodisability.Selected outcome measures require further psychometric testing to evaluate the impact of this rehabilitation approach effectively.Chest health education, monitoring and communication alongside rebound therapy may positively influence outcomes of rehabilitation, such as quality of life.Co-design and safety monitoring is necessary to address challenges of implementing rehabilitation research in children with complex neurodisability. Rebound therapy is a feasible school-based intervention to promote rehabilitation through physical activity participation in children with complex neurodisability. Selected outcome measures require further psychometric testing to evaluate the impact of this rehabilitation approach effectively. Chest health education, monitoring and communication alongside rebound therapy may positively influence outcomes of rehabilitation, such as quality of life. Co-design and safety monitoring is necessary to address challenges of implementing rehabilitation research in children with complex neurodisability.