Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015 Dec 7;5(12):e010212.
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010212.

Early childhood constraint therapy for sensory/motor impairment in cerebral palsy: a randomised clinical trial protocol

Olena Chorna  1 , Jill Heathcock  2 , Alexandra Key  3 , Garey Noritz  4 , Helen Carey  1 , Ellyn Hamm  1 , Mary Ann Nelin  1 , Micah Murray  5 , Amy Needham  6 , James C Slaughter  7 , Nathalie L Maitre  8
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Early childhood constraint therapy for sensory/motor impairment in cerebral palsy: a randomised clinical trial protocol

Olena Chorna et al. BMJ Open. .

Abstract

Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability in childhood. It is a disorder resulting from sensory and motor impairments due to perinatal brain injury, with lifetime consequences that range from poor adaptive and social function to communication and emotional disturbances. Infants with CP have a fundamental disadvantage in recovering motor function: they do not receive accurate sensory feedback from their movements, leading to developmental disregard. Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is one of the few effective neurorehabilitative strategies shown to improve upper extremity motor function in adults and older children with CP, potentially overcoming developmental disregard.

Methods and analysis: This study is a randomised controlled trial of children 12-24 months corrected age studying the effectiveness of CIMT combined with motor and sensory-motor interventions. The study population will comprise 72 children with CP and 144 typically developing children for a total of N=216 children. All children with CP, regardless of group allocation will continue with their standard of care occupational and physical therapy throughout the study. The research material collected will be in the form of data from high-density array event-related potential scan, standardised assessment scores and motion analysis scores.

Ethics and dissemination: The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board. The findings of the trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences.

Trial registration number: NCT02567630.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Randomised controlled trial with wait-list control design. (CIMT, constraint-induced movement therapy).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Soft mitt constraint.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Developmental disregard impairs learning of new and effective movements in children with CP. (CIMT, constraint-induced movement therapy; CP, cerebral palsy).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Intervention flow diagram. (OT, Occupational therapy; PT, Physical therapy).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Infant reaching using affected hand with purple sticky mitten (Velcro on palm) for and object with Velcro (pink pig, white Velcro).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Somatosensory ERP: geodesic ERP net and Air puff stimulus. ERP, event-related potential.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Reddihough DS, Collins KJ. The epidemiology and causes of cerebral palsy. Aust J Physiother 2003;49:7–12. 10.1016/S0004-9514(14)60183-5 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Yeargin-Allsopp M, Van Naarden Braun K, Doernberg NS et al. . Prevalence of cerebral palsy in 8-year-old children in three areas of the United States in 2002: a multisite collaboration. Pediatrics 2008;121:547–54. 10.1542/peds.2007-1270 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bhasin TK, Brocksen S, Avchen RN et al. . Prevalence of four developmental disabilities among children aged 8 years-Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program, 1996 and 2000. MMWR Surveill Summ 2006;55:1–9. - PubMed
    1. Cruz M, Jenkins R, Silberberg D. The burden of brain disorders. Science (New York, NY) 2006; 312:53–53. - PubMed
    1. Tachdjian MO, Minear Wl. Sensory disturbances in the hands of children with cerebral palsy. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1958;40-A:85–90. - PubMed

Publication types

Associated data