Advances in Cerebral Palsy Research

A University of Queensland (Australia) doctoral student is using a novel approach in researching the treatment for children with cerebral palsy — a circus “big top” approach.

Leanne Sakzewski, a pediatric occupational therapist, combines rehabilitation with circus training in treating children with cerebral palsy who had had a stroke affecting one side of their body.

Circus Training Used For Treatment

“Novelty in therapy is the key to optimizing children’s engagement and motivation,” says Sakzewski.

She says there are a number of different activities in a circus that require upper arm strength, manipulation, movement and coordination that, taken as a whole, create an environment that children are drawn to. Her doctoral program is believed to be the first rehabilitation trial in cerebral palsy to be funded by the National Health and Medial Research Council.

Analyzing the Intervention Program

Sakzewski’s research attempts to determine how an intervention program affects children’s arm and hand skills and community participation. The program is supplemented by studying brain re-organization in response to the therapy.

The program analyzes upper limb activity, the children’s participation in the home, school and community and the perceived quality of life. Through brain imaging, it studies the relationship between brain structure and function.

Study Under Investigation

The Brain Research Institute in Melbourne is to investigate the findings of the study.

Sakzewski’s research involves children wearing a glove on their unimpaired hand to optimize training of their impaired hand. The objective is to determine if one is more beneficial than the other for improving upper limb function.

The research is to compare traditional training with a new approach called Constraint Induced Movement Therapy.

(Source: Medical News today)

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