Aim of the Survey:

The aim of the RehaTech4Child survey led by EACD is to identify the digital technologies (e.g., robotic devices and treadmill systems, virtual reality and gaming systems, telehealth) that are used in clinical practices throughout Europe, and to know more about how rehabilitation professionals use or not use digital technologies in motor rehabilitation practices within the paediatric population. This knowledge would eventually help in designing the future technological developments based on the feedback from rehabilitation professionals.

In order to reach out to as many people as possible, the survey has been translated into 20 different languages due to the invaluable support of our RehaTech4Child Steering Group, our EACD National Coordinators and many others.

The survey was available in the following languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Romanian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Lithuanian and Estonian. 

Background:

In May 2020, EACD set up a Technology & Innovation Task Force, currently led by Prof. Sylvain Brochard and Dr. Christelle Pons. Technology and innovative solutions are making more and more a difference in our society as well as in paediatric rehabilitation. In fact, in some cases technologies and innovative solutions could improve rehabilitation practices in complementary with traditional approaches. However, most initiatives in this area relevant to our community are still mostly from local/regional initiatives, and which kind of technologies and innovations exactly are used, or not used, in paediatric rehabilitation at the moment is still rather unknown. Therefore, the EACD Technology & Innovation Task Force aims to develop a vision at the European level by making visible the needs for people with childhood-onset disabilities and by promoting innovation targeted on this group.

As one of the Action Points, EACD has prepared with a number of partners the RehaTech4Child survey to identify the digital technologies that are used in clinical practices throughout Europe, and to explore the barriers and facilitators in the use of these new technologies in clinical practice.