Effect of Positioning on Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex in Cerebral Palsy: A Single-centre Study from Lahore

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Rehabilitation
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Motor Control

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) affects motor function due to brain damage.
• The tonic labyrinthine reflex (TLR) is often abnormal in children with CP, impacting posture and movement.
• Effective interventions are crucial for managing motor deficits in CP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of specific positioning techniques on the tonic labyrinthine reflex (TLR) in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
• To evaluate changes in motor function following a structured intervention program.
• To determine the effectiveness of positioning as a therapeutic strategy for CP.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study involving 30 children (6 months to 3 years) with spastic and athetoid CP (Gross Motor Functional Classification Scale V).
• Intervention included hammock positioning and cerebral palsy chair use with sensory motor integration techniques over 10 hours.
• Motor function was assessed using the Motor Function Measure-20 Scale before and after the intervention, with data analyzed using SPSS 21.

Main Results:

• Post-intervention, significant improvements were observed in motor function variables (p<0.05).
• The study included 30 participants, with 60% being boys and 23% having athetoid CP.
• The mean age of participants was 18.13±7.33 months.

Conclusions:

• Positioning interventions demonstrated a significant positive effect on the tonic labyrinthine reflex in children with spastic and athetoid cerebral palsy.
• These findings support the use of targeted positioning strategies to enhance motor function in young children with CP.
• The study underscores the importance of therapeutic positioning in managing TLR abnormalities in pediatric CP.