Intensive play rehabilitation for young children living with cerebral palsy is more effective in improving hand and leg motor skills than all other therapies currently offered, according to the results of a European study.
Published last week in the journal “Jama Pediatrics,” these results “should change not only the current rehabilitation techniques for children with cerebral palsy in early childhood, but also the policies relating to the organization of rehabilitation,” he said. Monday, November 13, Dr. Alain Chatelin. , president of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, in a press release.
1,500 children a year
The first cause of motor disability in children, cerebral palsy affects 4 births per day in France, that is, 1,500 children per year, according to this foundation. It creates motor and sensory disorders due to brain damage, which can occur during premature birth or during delivery with a cord wrapped around the baby’s neck.
A research project called CAP’, financed by the Cerebral Palsy Foundation with a budget of 1.5 million euros, was to measure the effects of intensive rehabilitation before primary school.
The objective was to measure the effect of two weeks of intensive and fun therapy in 50 children aged 1 to 4 years, compared to another 50 who did not follow it.
A “significant” improvement
The principle of the method, called HABIT-ILE: intensely stimulate the child through fun activities that they must carry out independently, in order to encourage their participation. For example: painting with a brush and then knowing how to hold the handle of the knife, threading beads so that you can then fasten the buttons on a vest…
According to the results of the study, this method “significantly improves” the young child’s manual skills and gross motor skills.
“In the space of three months, children acquire an average of 10% of hand motor skills,” says Professor Yannick Bleyenheuft of the Belgian University of Leuven.
Until now, most of the clinical studies evaluating the effectiveness of this rehabilitation had been carried out in children over six years of age and who, in general, suffered from unilateral cerebral palsy, highlights the Foundation.
The results of this study show for the first time that “on the one hand, it can be offered to preschool children and, on the other hand, that it is effective,” he congratulates. However, we know that most brain growth and development occurs before the age of two and that brain plasticity is maximum at this age, the foundation notes.
Source: BFM TV
