Upper-Limb Rehabilitation With Adaptive Video Games for Preschool Children With Developmental Disabilities

Application of remodeled glove puppetry for children with developmental disabilities: A randomized controlled trial

This study aimed to improve hand performance and play behavior in children with developmental disabilities (DD) using a remodeled glove puppetry approach. Overall, 62 children with DD were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (n = 31 each). The experimental group underwent a 12-week rehabilitation program by playing with the remodeled glove puppetry, while the children in the control group played with non-remodeled glove puppetry. The Chinese puppet was remodeled using a Lego EV3® robot. Hand kinematics were analyzed through the Siliconcoach® Pro 7 software, which measured the force produced by the baseline ® hydraulic pinch gauge. Play behavior was measured using the Knox Preschool Play Scale-revised (KPPS-r). The experimental group exhibited significant improvements compared to the control group in hand kinematics (wrist range of motion [ROM], p < .05; metacarpophalangeal ROM, p < .05; proximal interphalangeal ROM, p < .05) and KPPS-r scores (space management, p < .05; material management, p < .05; pretense-symbolic, p < .05; participation, p < .05). After the 12-week rehabilitation with the remodeled glove puppetry, the experimental group exhibited significant improvement in kinematics and KPPS-r scores.

An Accessible Training Device for Children With Cerebral Palsy

Walking and balance capabilities can be improved upon using repetitive ankle dorsiflexion exercises. Here we developed two types of pedal switches incorporated with training devices to improve their walking and balance performance of children with cerebral palsy. The first type of pedal switch can be used to operate a home appliance, while the second type of pedal switch can connect them to web games. Pedal switches can be used for home rehabilitation. This randomized controlled trial included patients in the intervention (n = 24) and control (n = 24) groups who completed 15 weeks of ankle training. The experimental group performed ankle dorsiflexion using a pressure-activated pedal switch connected to the web games. The control group performed ankle dorsiflexion exercises using a pedal switch that operated a home appliance (a fan). Standing balance and walking performance were estimated using the Zebris FDM system, a pressure force platform, the Pediatric Balance Scale score, and the 1-minute walk test. The pre- and posttest data were analyzed using analysis of variance and analysis of covariance, which revealed that the intervention group had more significant improvements in sway patterns and balance and walking. The developed facility of a modified pedal switch integrated with web games can achieve better exercise adherence to promote balance and walking performance than that with home appliances. Maintaining motivation in children with cerebral palsy plays a very important role in the rehabilitation process.

Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Early Childhood: Birth-5 Years

IMPORTANCE

This Practice Guideline provides stakeholders with a condensed summary of a large number of effectiveness studies. It is a valuable tool for facilitating decision making related to occupational therapy interventions for children ages birth-5 yr.

OBJECTIVE

Early childhood (birth-5 yr) is a critical period in which the foundation of key life occupations is developed (e.g., eating, dressing, play, learning, social participation, rest and sleep, and chores). The development of cognitive, motor, social-emotional, and self-care skills is important to support these occupations. This Practice Guideline synthesizes recent systematic reviews (SRs) on these areas of development to promote decision making for and high-quality interventions with this population.

METHOD

Four SRs related to cognition, mental health, motor function, and ADLs analyzed studies published from 2010 to 2017 retrieved from six electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, OTseeker, and Cochrane).

RESULTS

A total of 196 articles were included in the SRs, which served as a guide to final clinical recommendations. Case studies describe translation and application to practice.

CONCLUSION

and Recommendations: A variety of interventions within the domain of occupational therapy were found to support the development of cognitive, social-emotional, motor, and self-care skills. Although some of these interventions are typically implemented by occupational therapy practitioners, others can be implemented by parents after training or by teams working in preschool settings. These findings should be used to inform evidence-based practice provided by occupational therapy practitioners working in various early childhood settings.

WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS

This Practice Guideline gives occupational therapy practitioners clear information about which interventions will be effective for specific outcomes. Better intervention choices mean better outcomes for young children and their families.

Interventions Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy Practice to Improve Motor Performance for Children Ages 0–5 Years: A Systematic Review

Importance: Occupational therapy practitioners need updated information about which interventions may improve motor skills for young children.

Objective: To identify the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions to promote motor development and prevent delay for children ages 0–5 yr.

Data Sources: Six databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIC, Cochrane, and OTseeker) were searched for articles published from January 2010 to March 2017.

Study Selection and Data Collection: The search yielded 4,488 articles that were reviewed for inclusion. Fifty-six studies were entered into both evidence and risk-of-bias tables. Included studies used Level I–III designs, were within occupational therapy’s scope of practice, included participants with a mean age younger than 6 yr, and addressed motor skills.

Findings: Three intervention themes emerged: early intervention for children younger than age 3 yr, interventions for preschool children ages 3–5 yr, and interventions for children with or at risk for cerebral palsy.

Conclusions and Relevance: Occupational therapy practitioners should consider use of interventions with moderate or strong evidence as described in this review. Limitations include high risk of bias and limited evidence for several interventions.

What This Article Adds: This article provides occupational therapy practitioners with updated information on evidence-based practices for children age 5 and younger who have motor delays.

New technologies and future trends

Numerous technologies have been introduced for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with neurologic disorders, offering the promise of early diagnosis, tailored and individualized interventions, improvement in quality of life, and restoration of neurologic function. Many of these technologies have become available commercially without having been evaluated by rigorous clinical trials and regulatory reviews, or at the least by peer review of results submitted for publication. A subset is intended to assess, assist, and monitor cognitive functions, motor skills, and autonomic functions and as such may be applicable to persons with developmental disabilities. Barriers that have previously limited the use of technologies by persons with neurodevelopmental disabilities are disappearing as new technologies that have the potential to substantially augment diagnosis and interventions to enhance the daily lives of persons with these disorders are emerging. While recent and future advances in technology have the potential to transform their lives, cautious and thoughtful evaluation is needed to ensure the technologies provide maximal value. As such, further work is needed to demonstrate feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness, and technologies should be designed to be optimized for individual use.

Preliminary Study of the Effect of Training With a Gaming Balance Board on Balance Control in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

A new protocol based on the use of a gaming balance board for children with cerebral palsy was tested.

DESIGN

A total of 56 children with cerebral palsy were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups: experimental and control. The children in experimental group underwent 12 wks of rehabilitation using their foot to play personal computer games with the proposed balance board, whereas those in the control group played personal computer games with a computer mouse in the standing position. Balance control was assessed before and after the intervention using the Zebris FDM System for measuring the center of pressure. The Pediatric Balance Scale and 2-min walk test were used for evaluating functional balance.

RESULTS

In the analysis of covariance, the proposed new balance board used for the personal computer games decreased the postural sway (sway path, F = 6.95, P = 0.011; sway area, F = 11.79, P = 0.001) and improved the performance of the functional balance tests.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated the possibility that this new gaming balance board can be used for balance control in children with cerebral palsy.

Training by Using an Adaptive Foot Switch and Video Games to Improve Balance and Mobility Following Stroke: A Randomised Controlled Trial

In this study, an altered switch for rehabilitation was invented to make home training accessible for the stroke patients, by modifying a computer mouse into a foot switch. This study examined the effects of training with an adaptive foot switch and video games (VG) on walking performance and balance abilities (Centre of Pressure (CoP) sway) in people after stroke.

The intervention was evaluated through a randomised controlled trial. The intervention group received 10 weeks of VG rehabilitation, for approximately 3.5 hours/week, using a pressure-activated electronic foot switch, in addition to standard rehabilitation. The control group received regular rehabilitation only. The experiment included a force platform (measuring CoP sway kinematics) and a 10-Metre Test of Walking (10MWT) to measure the standing balance and walking performance of 56 stroke patients.

There were no differences between the two groups (intervention and control) at baseline in terms of the demographic or dependent variables. Multivariate tests indicated a significant interaction between the Patient Group and the Time-type variables. Subsequent analysis of the main effects revealed significant between-group differences over time in all dependent variables (10MWT, sway area, CoP sway in anterior–posterior direction (AP sway) and CoP sway in medial–lateral direction (ML sway)). Patients in the intervention group demonstrated better performance than those in the control group after the VG rehabilitation according to the post-test.

This study suggests that ankle muscle training using an adaptive foot switch and VG may improve exercise compliance and enhance recovery of balance and mobility following stroke.

Effects of a Gaming Platform on Balance Training for Children With Cerebral Palsy

PURPOSE

A platform requiring multidimensional trunk movement facilitated postural balance in children with cerebral palsy.

METHODS

The intervention group (n = 20) received 12 weeks of playing personal computer (PC) games using the platform, and the control group (n = 20) played the same games using a computer mouse. Outcomes were center-of-pressure sway, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FAB), and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test scores.

RESULTS

There were significant interactions between groups and time. There was a significant between-group difference in center-of-pressure sway excursion, BBS test, and TUG test over time. Participants in the intervention group had better balance performance compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION

Balance training using a PC gaming platform may improve exercise compliance and enhance recovery of balance in children with cerebral palsy.