INTRODUCTION: PediaSuit ProtocolTM is an intensive therapy with a holistic approach to the treatment of individuals with neurological disorders like cerebral palsy (CP), developmental delays, traumatic brain injuries, autism and other conditions which affect a child's motor and/or cognitive functions. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present work is to describe the PediaSuit ProtocolTM. METHODS: The authors team remained two months observing the care provided in a clinic with physical therapists trained by the PediaSuit ProtocolTM team (USA). RESULTS: The PediaSuitTM is a therapeutic protocol which uses a suit combined with intensive physical therapy and consists of up to four hours of therapy a day, five days a week, during three or four weeks. The PediaSuit ProtocolTM is customized to fit the needs of each child, with specific functional goals, and usually involves an intensive rehabilitation program. It combines the best elements of various techniques and methods, and has a sound rationale based on exercise physiology. CONCLUSION: This protocol anticipates results obtained only with long periods of conventional physical therapy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common disability in children caused by central nervous system lesion. The aim of the present study was to verify the intensive neuromotor therapy effects in children with CP, in a reference Brazilian centre. In this study, three years of medical records from a Brazilian reference Centre of Intensive Neuromotor Therapy (INMT) which use the INMT protocol were analysed. The motor evaluation for each child was done by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and GMFM-88 by an experienced professional, before and after each INMT module. A total of 53 children between the ages of 1 and 15 years (age at treatment initiation, initial evaluation), with a mean age of 5.94±3.38 years, participated in the study. Participants performed between 1 and 10 INMT modules. There was no strong correlation between age and overall performance on the GMFM scale, but it was observed a strong negative correlation between the percentage of GMFM gains and the number of modules (r=-0.709; R 2 = 0.50; p = 0.022, CI95%[0.014 -0.026]), suggesting that patients tend to present higher percentage gains in the first modules. Through an intra-module comparison, it was observed statistical difference in the total score in each of the modules.

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OBJETIVO: Analisar a influência da terapia neuromotora intensiva na motricidade e na qualidade de vida de crianças com encefalopatia crônica não progressiva da infância.MÉTODOS: Como instrumentos de avaliação foram utilizados o Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), a Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) e o questionário Pediatric Quality of Life Interventory 3.1 – Cerebral Palsy Module Modificado (PedsQl 3.1), aplicado aos responsáveis pelas crianças. Por meio desses instrumentos, oito crianças de 4 a 10 anos com diagnóstico de encefalopatia crônica não progressiva da infância foram avaliadas por comparação dos valores médios pré e pós avaliação.RESULTADOS: Pela escala GMFM observou-se diferença estatística positiva entre o pré e o pós de p=0,0005 e na escala PedsQl obteve-se p=0,051.CONCLUSÕES: A terapia neuromotora intensiva influencia de maneira positiva na motricidade global. A qualidade de vida apresentou uma tendência a melhora, podendo ter seu resultado influenciado pelo número pequeno da amostra.

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