Abstract
Objective:
To determine the feasibility and short-term efficacy of caregiver-directed constraint-induced movement therapy to improve upper limb function in young children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
Design:
Randomized controlled trial with masked assessment.
Setting:
Community paediatric therapy services.
Subjects:
Pre-school children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
Interventions:
Caregiver-directed constraint-induced movement therapy administered using either 24-hour short-arm restraint device (prolonged) or intermittent holding restraint during therapy (manual).
Main measures:
Primary measures include Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA) at 10 weeks. Secondary measures include adverse events, Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Feasibility measures include recruitment, retention, data completeness and adherence.
Results:
About 62/81 (72%) of eligible patients in 16 centres were randomized (prolonged restraint
Conclusion:
Caregiver-directed constraint-induced movement therapy is feasible and associated with improvement in upper limb function at 10 weeks. More therapy was delivered with prolonged than with manual restraint, warranting further testing of this intervention in a longer term trial.
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