Background. In children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP), there is only limited evidence for the effectiveness of modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT). Objective. To investigate whether 6 weeks of mCIMT followed by 2 weeks of bimanual task-specific training (mCIMT-BiT) in children with unilateral spastic CP improves the spontaneous use of the affected limb in both qualitative and quantitative terms more than usual care (UC) of the same duration. Methods. Children with unilateral spastic CP with Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) scores I, II, or III and aged 2.5 to 8 years were recruited and randomly allocated to either the mCIMT-BiT group (three 3-hour sessions per week: 6 weeks of mCIMT, followed by 2 weeks of task-specific training in goal-directed bimanual play and self-care activities) or to 1.5 hours of more general physical or occupational weekly plus encouragement to use the affected hand for the UC group. Primary outcome measures were the Assisting Hand Assessment and the ABILHAND-Kids. Secondary outcomes were the Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function, the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, and the Goal Attainment Scale. Results. Twenty-eight children were allocated to mCIMT-BiT and 24 to UC. Except for the Melbourne, all primary and secondary outcome measures demonstrated significant improvements in the mCIMT-BiT group. Conclusion. mCIMT followed by task-specific training of goal-directed bimanual play and self-care activities is an effective intervention to improve the spontaneous use of the more affected upper limb in children with relatively good baseline upper extremity function.
AIM To investigate the validity and reliability of the revised Video-Observation Aarts and Aarts module: Determine Developmental Disregard (VOAA-DDD-R).METHOD Upper-limb capacity and performance were assessed in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP) by measuring overall duration of affected upper-limb use and the frequency of specific behaviours during a task in which bimanual activity was demanded ('stringing beads') and stimulated ('decorating a muffin'). Developmental disregard was defined as the difference in duration of affected upper-limb use between both tasks. Raters were two occupational and one physical therapist who received 3 hours of training. Construct validity was determined by comparing children with CP with typically developing children. Intrarater, interrater, and testretest reliability were determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Standard errors of measurement and smallest detectable differences were also calculated.RESULTS Twenty-five children with CP (15 females, 10 males; mean age 4y 9mo [SD 1y 7mo], range 2y 9mo-8y; Manual Ability Classification System levels I-III) scored lower on capacity (p=0.052) and performance (p<0.001), and higher on developmental disregard (p<0.001) than 46 age-and sex-matched typically developing children (23 males; mean age 5y 3mo [SD 1y 5mo], range 2y 6mo-8y). The intraclass correlation coefficients (0.79-1.00) indicated good reliability. Absolute agreement was high, standard errors of measurement ranged from 4.5 to 6.8%, and smallest detectable differences ranged from 12.5 to 19.0%.
INTERPRETATIONThe VOAA-DDD-R can be reliably and validly used by occupational and physical therapists to assess upper-limb capacity, performance, and developmental disregard in children (2y 6mo-8y) with CP.
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