Promoting Physical Activity and Fitness: Supporting Individuals with Childhood—Onset Disabilities

Individuals with childhood-onset physical and developmental disabilities often have special needs around exercise and physical activity. However, most books on this topic are written for exercise science experts who may not always be the frontline service provider. This book provides clear and evidence-based information on how to evaluate, train, and foster physical activity and fitness in individuals with childhood-onset disabilities safely across the lifespan. It is written for frontline service providers, such as clinicians and other rehabilitation professionals, as well as individuals with childhood-onset physical and developmental disabilities and their families. The authors thereby respond to specific needs and enable multiple parties to lead more physically active lives. Themes include physical fitness and activity assessment and training, safe engagement, measurement of activity levels and progress, and responses to pain. It includes disorder-specific chapters that apply the general principles of physical activity training to specific diagnoses including autism and juvenile arthritis.

Désirée B. Maltais is Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation at the Université Laval and Researcher at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Québec City, Canada. Dr Maltais is a physiotherapist and exercise scientist who studied under Dr Oded Bar-Or, a pioneer in exercise medicine for children with chronic health conditions. Her research expertise is in the evaluation of mobility and health-related physical fitness and interventions to improve physical activity and participation in individuals with childhood-onset disabilities.

Reidun Jahnsen is a physiotherapist and Director of The Cerebral Palsy Follow-up Program at Oslo University Hospital and Head of Research at, Beitostoelen Healthsports Centre, Norway. Dr Jahnsen has clinical experience from primary and specialist health care and teaching experience from the Universities in Trondheim and Oslo. Her research expertise is in the field of (re)habilitation in early-onset childhood disabilities with a lifespan perspective. She is involved in register studies, basic research in motion analysis and in clinical research into participation in adapted physical therapy.