Education Program for Caregivers of Children With Gross Motor Delays

Three for the Under Three

The main objective of this project is to determine whether an educational intervention delivered via social media can improve parent understanding of child development and progression in child's developmental goals. A secondary objective is to determine whether this intervention can improve parent-related outcomes, such as well-being, parent-child bonding, attitudes toward parenting, satisfaction with the educational program.

Gross motor delays in childhood are common, though they vary in severity and outcome. Early detection and intervention are critical to promote best neurodevelopmental outcomes for these children; equally important is support for parents and/or caregivers of children with identified motor delays. Parent education programs for caregivers of children with gross motor delays have been shown to improve parent knowledge of motor development and decrease parental stress when offered in conjunction with physical therapy treatment, however, there is a lack of peer-reviewed evidence demonstrating the efficacy of educational interventions provided over a social media platform for the population targeted in this study.

Caregivers of children with gross motor delays will be randomized to receive an educational intervention delivered via social media over a 9 week period, or to receive the intervention after a 9 week waiting period.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Parent or legal guardian of child under 3 years with an identified motor delay
• Access to device with high-speed internet to access Facebook
• English speaking
• Resides in the continental United States

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non-English-speaking