Developmental physiotherapy for children with both minimal cerebral dysfunction and learning difficulties

Early research studies have suggested that learning gains accompany improvement in neurological factors after developmental physiotherapy treatment, and some physiotherapists consider that an adequate sensory motor system is of primary importance in the utilisation of full learning abilities. To determine the existence of any link between these two, a study was undertaken to evaluate educational progress of children with both MCD and learning difficulties: the experimental group received continuous physiotherapy management for six months and the control group received no physiotherapy, if possible, while all continued their remedial education programme. Analysis of school performance data revealed that the educational progress in most areas assessed by teachers was significantly greater for the children in the experimental group than for the control group. This paper describes the study and compares the scholastic achievement of children, with and without physiotherapy intervention.