Change in Pulmonary Function after Incentive Spirometer Exercise in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Rehabilitation
• Pulmonology
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Spastic cerebral palsy (CP) often impairs pulmonary function and speech.
• Effective interventions are needed to improve respiratory and vocal abilities in children with CP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of incentive spirometer exercise (ISE) on pulmonary function and maximal phonation time (MPT).
• To assess the efficacy of ISE as an adjunct therapy for children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP).

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 50 children with CP.
• Participants were divided into an experimental group (comprehensive rehabilitation + ISE) and a control group (comprehensive rehabilitation only).
• Outcome measures included forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV₁), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and MPT, assessed pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• The experimental group showed significant improvements in FVC, FEV₁, PEF, and MPT.
• No significant improvements were observed in the control group.
• Improvements in FVC, FEV₁, and MPT were significantly greater in the ISE group compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• Incentive spirometer exercise (ISE) is an effective intervention for enhancing pulmonary function in children with spastic CP.
• ISE also improves breath control crucial for speech production in this population.
• The study supports the integration of ISE into rehabilitation programs for children with CP.