The November issue of Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics published a review on physical therapy interventions for school aged children with cerebral palsy. Thirty four articles were reviewed with strength training being the most studied intervention. The strength training intervention resulted in significant improvements in muscle strength but not necessarily in function. Improvements in gross motor function, gait speed, stride length and endurance were seen with functional training. Weight supported treadmill training resulted in improvement trends on the Gross Motor Function Measure and gait velocity but none were significant. One of three studies using neurodevelopmental treatment as an intervention resulted in significant improvements on the Gross Motor Function Measure. With regards to treatment dosage, no studies "found significant differences for different intensities of treatment".
Reference: Liz Martin, Richard Baker and Adrienne Harvey. A Systematic Review of Common Physiotherapy Interventions in School-Aged Children with Cerebral Palsy. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics November 2010, Vol. 30, No. 4 , Pages 294-312 (doi:10.3109/01942638.2010.500581)
2 comments:
As a pediatric Physical Therapist I have utilized many techniques and this article is a testament that each child requires a unique approach based on their current functional status and their desired outcomes. Each child regardless of diagnosis has to be treated as an individual and by eliminating specified protocols as professionals we can utilize our expertise and creativity to help them succeed!
http://www.dinopt.com
I agree with your statement that all children need to be treated as an individual. Children can present so differently even when they have the same diagnosis. I do appreciate this research though as a starting point. We need to know what works and what doesn't to make good clinical decisions. I find it very interesting that there was no differences for treatment dosages.
Post a Comment