Introduction: In the South African public health system, children with cancer are admitted to specialised oncology units for the duration of their treatment. These units therefore become the children's temporary living environment for varying periods of time, which may disrupt their participation in daily activities and consequently their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine the HRQoL of children admitted with cancer from both their own and their parents' perspective. Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Gauteng with a specialist oncology unit. Structured interviews were conducted with the children aged 8-12 years using the PedsQL TM Generic Core Scale (4.0) and Cancer Module (3.0). The parent's perspective was explored using the Parents proxy forms of both instruments. Results: Twenty-five children and their parents participated in the study. Most children in the sample were males with Leukaemia. All children and parents reported the children's functioning at an intermediate level which suggests that these children may be at risk for HRQoL deficits. Children's HRQoL was impacted by psychosocial functioning and change in schooling on the PedsQL TM Generic Core Scale (4.0), while parents felt physical functioning played a greater role in determining the child's HRQoL. On the PedsQL TM Cancer Module (3.0) both the children and parents felt that 'procedural anxiety' had an effect, although from the parents' perspective, 'worry' accounted for the greatest deficits in their children's HRQoL. Conclusion:This study indicates that occupational disruption is experienced by children during the long-term treatment of cancer. It is suggested that occupational therapists use available instruments to monitor and provide support for the effect of an impaired HRQoL.

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BACKGROUND: The Dunn Infant Toddler Sensory Profile and DeGangi's Test of Sensory Functions in Infants are two standardised tests that are widely used by South African therapists to assess sensory integrative function in infants. There is, however, no research available on the validation of these standardised tests for a South African population. This research determined whether the normative data established in the United States of America on the Infant Toddler Sensory Profile and the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants were valid for use with South African infants between the ages of 7 and 18 months. METHODOLOGY: A quantitative cross-sectional, descriptive, correlation study design was used to investigate the equivalence between the normative data from the United States of America and a sample of typically developing South African infants. FINDINGS: The results indicated that the mean scores for the South African sample in five of the six processing sections of the Infant Toddler Sensory Profile and all quadrant scores, were in the lower range of the typical performance according to the normative data of the United States of America. On the Oral Processing Section and the Sensation-Seeking Quadrant, test results should be interpreted with caution due to the medium effect size indicating clinical differences to the reported norms. A higher percentage of South African infants had a clear definite difference "more than others" score compared to normative data from the United States of America. On the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants, the means of the frequency distribution for deficient, at risk, and typical for all five sections and the Total Test Scores for the South African sample were significantly different from the normative data of the United States of America and the mean scores fell into the lower range or below the range for the typical performance reported in the test manual. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The Infant Toddler Sensory Profile can be used without substantial re-norming based on the findings related to this South African sample. Due to significant differences in scores on the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants, the first author questions the use of the test and recommends further research on South African infants with a larger population group. However, it should be noted that this study had a small sample size and therefore the results should be interpreted with caution and cannot be generalised.

The occupation of swimming for children with autism is an unexplored field of research in the South African context. This study explores the experiences of swimming teachers and parents of children with autism in the context of swimming lessons. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were utilized with a qualitative, descriptive-phenomenological design. Data analysis utilized Colaizzis’s seven-step method. Parents first sought swimming lessons for their children as a survival skill. Although facing barriers to accessing this service, parents experienced swimming as a meaningful occupation with unexpected benefits. Swimming teachers also derived meaning from providing lessons, despite a lack of knowledge. They expressed a need for greater support and training. Swimming is a meaningful occupation for children with autism and their families, but swimming teachers in South Africa are not always equipped to provide this service. Occupational therapists could play a variety of roles in supporting participation for all stakeholders.

Occupational therapists and other professionals in South Africa are faced with the task of assessing and providing intervention for children from a range of cultural and language groups. The possibility of cultural variation in different cultural groups can produce confounding and inaccurate results and biased conclusions when the test is used with different groups and the results are interpreted using the norms and criteria provided by the authors. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of the Motor-Free Visual Perceptual Test 3rd Edition (MPVT-3) when instructions were translated into Afrikaans. A descriptive split-half comparative research design was used to determine the internal consistency of the items on the MVPT-3 after the instructions had been translated into Afrikaans. 80 learners between the ages of 8 years 0 months and 8 years 11 months were selected from nine schools to participate and the translated MVPT-3 was administered once during school time. Data was analysed using Cronbach's alpha and split-half reliability statistics. Results indicated that although overall reliability was adequate, the split-half reliability revealed that the reliability scores were not adequate for half of the test, with the second half of the test showing poor reliability. There were also significant differences between boys' and girls' performance on the test, with reliability scores for boys being well below the accepted level. Thus the reliability of the MVPT-3 both within the South African population as well as when translated is questionable and the test should be interpreted with caution. Key words: MVPT-3, psychometrics, translation

Introduction:The aim of the study was to determine the health related quality of life (HRQoL) and family functioning of parents whose children were receiving active phase cancer treatment during a hospital admission. Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in a specialist oncology unit within a tertiary hospital in Gauteng, South Africa.Structured interviews were conducted with the parents of children with cancer, to determine their Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) using the PedsQLTM Family Impact Module (2.0). Results: Twenty-Five parents participated, with ages ranging from 26 to 48 years. Most were female, with high school educational level and unemployed. Parents reported intermediate or low HRQoL particularly in the physical and worry components. Parent participants reported family functioning within the intermediate level of HRQoL. The HRQoL of parent participants in this study differed from that reported by parents in another study in a low-middle income context. Conclusion: This study indicated the diagnosis and treatment of child's cancer created challenges, which had a negative impact on parents' HRQoL and family functioning.