Dual Task Gait Performance in Pediatric Oncology Patients

Comparison of Single and Dual Task Gait Performance in Pediatric Oncology Patients With Healthy Control Group

Cancer incidence, which is recognized as the leading cause of death in children worldwide, is gradually increasing.

Most studies on children who survive cancer show that the disease and its treatment have side effects and long-term late effects on the musculoskeletal system, physical function, gait and cognitive skills.

Therefore, dual task gait performance, in which cognitive and motor tasks are performed simultaneously, may be affected in pediatric oncology patients. The aim of this study is to compare gait performance in single and dual task conditions in pediatric oncology patients with healthy controls.

Cancer incidence, which is recognized as the leading cause of death in children worldwide, is gradually increasing. About 300,000 children aged 0 to 19 are diagnosed with cancer each year, according to the international study where the International Agency for Research on Cancer collected data on neoplasms (malignant and non-malignant) diagnosed in individuals under 20 years of age between 2001-2010.

Most studies on children who survive cancer show that the disease and its treatment have side effects and long-term late effects on the musculoskeletal system, physical function, gait and cognitive skills. According to the study of Beulertz et al. (2016), active ankle dorsiflexion limitation, gait disturbances and decrease in walking efficiency were observed in all pediatric oncology patients, which have an important role in walking, not limited to children with bone tumors and central nervous system tumors.Intensive chemotherapy (eg methotrexate) and the use of radiation are thought to cause damage to cortical and subcortical white matter, resulting in late effects. Symptoms consistent with attention deficit disorder and mental processing speed, working memory, executive function and memory deficits put cancer survivors at an intellectual and academic disadvantage.

Therefore, dual task gait performance, in which cognitive and motor tasks are performed simultaneously, may be affected in pediatric oncology patients. The aim of this study is to compare gait performance in single and dual task conditions in pediatric oncology patients with healthy controls.

Inclusion Criteria:

Healthy control group:

• Being in the age range of 6-18,
• To be physically, cognitively and mentally healthy,
• Open to communication enough to understand questions,
• Speaking and understanding Turkish,
• Approval has been obtained from the child and his / her family for the study and who agrees to participate in the study,

Case group:

• Able to walk alone without any walking aid,
• Open to communication enough to understand questions,
• Speaking and understanding Turkish,
• Approval has been obtained from the child and his / her family for the study and who agrees to participate in the study,
• Children between the ages of 6-18 will be included in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

Healthy control group:

• Any orthopedic or neurological impairment that would prevent walking;
• Having any mental disability that prevents cognitive task

Case group:

• Staying in an isolated room or having risk of infection (neutropenic, etc.),
• Any orthopedic or neurological impairment that could prevent walking;
• Having any mental disability that prevents cognitive task,
• Individuals with malignant hypertension or unstable heart disease (eg congestive heart failure) will not be included in the study.