Does Dance Influence On Quality On Life In Children With Hearing Impairmentsdocx

=== Does dance influence on quality on life in children with hearing impairments ===

DOES DANCE INFLUENCE ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN CHILDREN WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS?

Oana Bianca BUDEANCA – BABOLEA a,c*, Dorina ORTANESCU b,c

a* Special Secondary School „Sf. Vasile” , Str. Dr. Dimitrie Gerota Nr.3,Craiova, Romania

b University of Craiova, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Str. Brestei Nr. 156, Craiova, Romania

c University of Physical Education and Sport – PhD School, Str. Constantin Noica, Nr. 140, Sector 6, Bucharest, Romania

* Corresponding author: [anonimizat]

Abstract. Quality of life is given by individuals on their social perceptions in the context of cultural value systems in which they live and, depending on their needs, aspirations and standards. Studies on quality of life are particularly useful in clinical practice to assess the effects of physical, psychological and social aspects of illness and medical treatment on the people lives.

Music and dance can improve the quality of life for children with physical needs, emotional and psychological in a variety of ways.

The objective of this paper is to determine the role of dance and how it affects the wuality of life of children with hearing impairment. Subject group consists of 24 students, 9 girls and 15 boys, enrolled in special education with ages between 9 and 15 years old.

The subjects were tested initially, intermediate and final for functional, biomechanical and somatic measurements.

As aims we want to develop a program of recovery, allowing a significant change in the quality of life of deaf children.

After implementing the work programs, we could see improvements in body schema, self-esteem and confidence.

Following the results we chose 6 students with hearing impairment and 6 normal children to form a troupe of modern dance at the school level called „Just Us”. Under this name they had participated on several dance contests for children with special educational needs, winning all stages.

Keywords: quality of life, hearing impaired, dance, coordination

1. INTRODUCTION

Quality of life is given by individuals on their social perceptions in the context of cultural value systems in which they live and, depending on their needs, aspirations and standards (WHO, 1998).

More specifically, the quality of life means physical, mental and social subjects and the ability to perform common tasks in their daily existence .

A utilitarian definition is proposed by Revicki & Kaplan (1993): Quality of life reflects preferences for certain health conditions that enable improvements in morbidity and mortality , which is expressed by a single weighted index – standardized life years, depending on the quality of life (1).

Studies on quality of life are particularly useful in clinical practice to assess the effects of physical, psychological and social aspects of illness and medical treatment on the people lives.

The interest in the medical world for quality of life issues is demonstrated by the number of articles on issues of quality of life published in prestigious journals and presented PUBMED database of the National Library of Medicine, US.

The concept of quality of life incorporates all the features of life, based on two variables which can be used as indicators: social variables, objectives represented by the environmental conditions which satisfy the basic needs of individuals and psychological variables, subjective, represented by satisfaction and happiness (Bigelow et all, 1982 apud Pah, 2000)(2).

Music and dance can improve the quality of life for children with physical needs, emotional and psychological in a variety of ways.

When we speak of the therapeutic effects of dance we must understand that we are not referring to dance therapy or how often confused with these concepts, but the potentiation medical and psychological benefits of dance.

Implementation of the beneficial role of body movements, combined with elements of physical therapy, medical gymnastics and isometric exercises, and the acquisition of knowledge and mastery of dance choreography, are the basic elements when we want to actually get "medical" dance (Moores, D. F. (1987)(3).

Few experiences mesh so well person, as a whole, as well as the dance: body, emotions and his intellect.

Dance is the euphoria that not everyone feels, but one that invests passion in the joy of moving to music rhythms .

Dance is the most expressive way of showing injury involving both the driving capabilities of each message and expression of emotions, states. "Dance is the most beautiful art, because he is not a translation or abstraction of life, it is life itself " ( Havelock Ellis ).

Those who can't hear these rhythms, simply live them, feel them vibrating in their flesh, in their mind, trying to develop by moving artistic skills. This talent helps to emphasize the beauty of his soul, even through dance. Share whole world need to encourage your own, to be valued, to be admired, cultivating skills that seem to some incredible, even impossible.

Leventhal (1991)(4) argues that movement and dance therapy for a child with special educational needs begins with sensoriomotor and perceptual development, and integration of this information, and then continues with the formation and development of the concept of body scheme itself.

The purpose of this research is to demonstrate that dance can improve the quality of life in children with hearing impairments.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sample that will conduct the study consists of a group of students with hearing impairment, enrolled in Secondary Special School "Sf. Vasile" in Craiova.

The group of 24 students with hearing disabilities and special traction in primary and secondary school.

Subjects will be tested first, intermediate and final data were tabulated and statistically analyzed.

Chosen work programs will be implemented six months after initial testing will eventually change their content.

The battery of tests applied subjects consists of:

A. Tests to assess the balance , posture and motor control :

1.Test " Get up and go ";

2.Tinetti test drive : is an analysis of several components of walking, which can be done at normal speed of the patient and / or high speed. In this test, degrees of judgment may be from 0 to 1 , as follows: 0 – do not provide 1 – carried out;

3. Scale gait assessment is more complex than Tinetti test drive because it contains a series of automatic movements of the joints went lower and upper limbs. The degrees of appreciation of this scale are from 0 to 3, 0 representing normality and 3 worst aspect;

4. Test " Climbing up and down stairs " – consists of: the subject is asked to climb a number of steps, until fatigue or inability apears. At that time, the test is stopped and record the number of steps that managed to climb. For down we do the same. Test may be performed with or without help from the physical therapist if necessary.

5. Romberg test – investigates balance in sitting position, legs close, upper limbs or trunk in addition to previously targeted plan (elbows extended). Runs with eyes open and closed (we reduce the sensorial control ony if the subject can maintain the position with eyes open). It will be appreciated for 60 seconds the attempts of loss or maintaining the balance (recoveries) by oscillations or excessive stepping. In the vestibular lesions we can observe the affected lateral deviation. Normally with eyes open or closed, the subject has no deviations or falls.

6. Thrust test – is done in two ways: the pacient is standing -and we apply short thrusts unannounced to the subject in the sternum, on the basin side and we appreciate stability. The second way to implement test is similar to the first, except that here we ask the subject to oppose, not to be pushed.

B. Tests for the assessment of motor skills :

1. Frosting test – measures the perceptual and motor abilities by 5 sub-tests (hand-eye coordination, fund object perception, constant shape, spatial position and spatial relations).

C. Tests for evaluating the quality of life:

1. KINDL ( Ravens – Sieberer, Ulrike, and Bullinger.M.1998) is a german questionnaire for assessing quality of life of children and adolescents and has three complete forms.

– Form A ( Kiddy ) for children aged 4-8 years, 40 items;

– Form B ( Kid ) for children aged 8-12 years, 40 items;

– Form C ( Kiddo ) for adolescents aged 12-16 years, 47 items.

Have been applied only two types of test: Form C, due to the age of the subject.

The results obtained from the application evaluation form and questionnaire were summarized in tables using the Microsoft Excel program that enabled statistical processing and graphics.

After initial assessment, subjects followed a series of exercises for 3 months, 2 times per week:

a) in a circle, standing position with your feet slightly apart, hands on knees, rotate your knees;

b) in a circle, step forward with right foot, extension with carrying arms up, leaning out trunk with his arms crossed;

c) in a circle, lunge on the left leg with carrying left arm, right arm diagonally back;

d) in a circle , jumping from one foot to the other

e) In the circle, compromises on one foot

f) in a circle, sitting lifting the knee to the chest

g) in column 1, the extension trunk with carrying arms up, bending with carrying arms to the side.

h) walking around the room, without touching, with his hands behind his back, his arms carrying side, after which shall be placed in a circle;

i) sitting on his knees knocking with his hands on the floor and into the air;

j) in space bounded by a circle – rolling over, jumping up, knocking their feet on rhythm.

k) from side to side of the hall shambling run with a stop at the signal.

3. RESULTS

Data recorded in the three tests (initial, intermediate and final) will be reported in tables, and graphs will facilitate the understanding of changes. Besides the statistical parameters that characterize the trend we investigated phenomenon, we calculate the difference (in real terms and as a percentage) between the results of tests (intermediate – initial, intermediate – final and final – initial).

Results obtained from this program are the following:

– It improved the body schema;

– A very good result we achieved at the level of self-esteem and self-confidence, students are more self confident and more willing to social involvement;

Following the results we chose 6 students with the highest scores and have formed a troupe of modern dance at the school level. In our help rushed 6 students from the Technical College of Arts and Crafts "Constantin Brancusi" Craiova, in order to form a dance group – „Just Us”. Under this name they had participated on several dance contests for children with special educational needs, winning all stages (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig.3).

Dance team was made up of children with disabilities and children from the public schools, thus teaching deaf children to communicate on another level, to make new friends who have not the same disability like them, learn to socialize and interact without consider inferior because of their disability.

When the awards began to appear and children appear on television and in the press, self-esteem and self-confidence have increased, and all at once, began to feel validated and accepted and important in society.

Fig.1. Dance contest Fig.2. Dance contest Fig.3. Dance contest

4. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

Promoting and supporting children with hearing impairments is a unique experience, a struggle against the refusal and rejection. These children despite weaknesses they have demonstrated that they can ensure a successful path in life

Dance is the most expressive method for body manifestation, involving the driving capabilities of each, and the expression of message emotions, states.

Dancing means excitement, dancing means the conquest of space, courage to overcome mobility. It is entirely plastic movements, gestures and steps that are executed sequentially in the rhythm of certain music,exteriorizing the emotional content.

The dance offers many rewarding and teaches us to be harmonious in the whole language of gestures.

Therefore, this therapy did not result only at physical recovery , but also to improve quality of life, the joy, optimism, self-esteem and self-confidence, acquired along this therapeutic program.

References

Kaplan R et al. (1993). The Quality of Well-Being Scale: Rationale for a Single Quality of Life Index. In: Quality of Life Assessment: Key Issues in the 1990s. Walker, Stuart R.; Rosser, Rachel M. (editors). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers 1993:65-94

Pah, I. (2000) – Evaluarea calității vieții la persoanele valide și la persoanele deficiente, Orientări Teoretico-Praxiologice în Educația Specială, Presa Universitară Clujeană, Cluj-Napoca

Moores, D. F. (1987). „Educating the Deaf – Psychology, Principles, and Practices”,Houghton Mifflin Campany, SUA

Leventhal, M. B. (1991). Moving Towards Health; Stages of Therapeutic Unfolding in Dance Movement, Abstract Proceedings of Medart International, First World Congress on Arts Medicine. Medart