Pilot Study to Observe Changes in Independence in Everyday Life through Intensive Wheelchair Mobility Training in Wheelchair-Dependent Children

Background: It is often observed that children have to learn how to use a wheelchair with difficulty and lack the necessary self-confidence to deal with it in everyday life. In spring 2021, a wheelchair course was set up at the Charité. Currently, only a 5-day course is provided by the health insurance companies. Within the scope of the present study, an intensified weekly training over 3 months will take place and the treatment success will be compared with the standard method. It is expected that the results of the described studies will lead to an improvement in quality of life and participation. This effect is not only expected for the training period, but the learned skills and self-efficacy can also be transferred to everyday life afterward.