Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder causing progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. This mixed-methods study aims to provide developmental support to mothers of infants (aged 12-36 months) with SMA Type 1 and to evaluate its impact on infants' developmental outcomes and mothers' developmental knowledge. Participants will include 13 mothers recruited via purposive sampling from a university hospital's Pediatric Chest Diseases Outpatient Clinic. Inclusion criteria require mothers to have infants with SMA Type 1 who are receiving pharmacological treatment and do not have a tracheostomy. Ten mothers will be assigned to the intervention group, and three to the control group. Data will be gathered using quantitative and qualitative tools. Quantitative instruments include a General Information Form, the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) and its Social-Emotional version (ASQ-SE) for developmental progress, and the researcher-adapted Caregiver Knowledge of Child Development Inventory (CKCDI). Qualitative data will be collected via "Parental reflections on developmental support" from the intervention group. The intervention consists of a 12-week online developmental support program, held once weekly for 90 minutes. Post-test measurements will be administered to both groups immediately after the intervention, followed by a retention test for the intervention group four weeks later. Finally, prioritizing the children's best interests, the control group will receive a four-session developmental support program after the study concludes.
Age range
12 Months – 36 Months
Sex
ALL
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Developmental progress measured by the Ages and Stages Questionnaires - Turkish Adaptation (ASQ)
Timeframe: Baseline, Week 12, Week 16
Social-emotional developmental progress measured by the Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional - Turkish Adaptation (ASQ-SE)
Timeframe: Baseline, Week 12, Week 16