The prominence of functional independence among the determinants of RTW implies that rehabilitation efforts and support programmes to optimize functional ability, especially within the first year after stroke, will greatly enhance RTW among Nigerian stroke survivors.

The pattern of and relationship between motor function and participation among community-dwelling stroke survivors in Ibadan, Nigeria was studied over a 6-month period. Twenty post stroke individuals were recruited out of which 16 (9 males and 7 females) completed the study. Motor function and participation were assessed within 4 weeks after stroke (baseline) and the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and the 5th month at the respective residence of the patients using the Modified Motor Assessment Scale (MMAS) and London Handicap Scale (LHS) respectively. Results showed statistically significant increase in both motor function (Friedman's ANOVA 37.50; p = 0.00) and participation (Friedman's ANOVA = 41.87; p < 0.001) across 6 months. Significant correlation was observed between overall total scores of the motor function and participation measures at the 1st month. The Orientation and Economic Self-Sufficiency domains of the LHS were however not significantly correlated with the MMAS items (p > 0.05). At the 6th month, LHS did not correlate with MMAS items except between physical independence and sitting to standing, occupation and sitting to standing, and physical independence and walking. The results show that recovery of motor function and increase in level of participation occurred progressively across six months post stroke. This apparent association between motor function and participation suggest that as patients were regaining motor function, their participation level was also improving.

Management of paediatric neurological conditions involves a multidisciplinary team approach with Physiotherapy being an important member of the team. This study investigated the proportion that neurological conditions accounted for of the total number of paediatric conditions managed at the Physiotherapy Department of the Oni Memorial Children Hospital, Ibadan between January 2004 and December 2006 and also reviewed the specific neurological conditions. Records of all the patients managed during the study period reviewed were identified from which the neurological cases were sorted out and data on specific diagnosis, age and gender were collated. A total of 546 paediatric cases were reviewed out of which 471 (86.3%) were neurological cases with mean age of 25.3± 25.2 months and a 1.3: 1.0 male to female ratio. Cerebral palsy {CP}, predominantly the spastic quadriplegic type, accounted for majority (43.7%) of cases. Traumatic sciatic nerve palsy was the cause of physiotherapy attendance in 35.5% of cases while Obstetric brachial plexus injury accounted [10.8%) of cases. Other conditions were Central Nervous System Infections, Down's syndrome and Paralysis of unspecified diagnosis, Radial and Facial nerve palsies and Gullian Barre syndrome. A case is made for the deployment of more resources (funds, facilities and health personnels) for the care of neurological paediatric conditions.(Afr. J. Biomed. Res. 11: 281 -284)

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