Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 6, 2026
Author Spotlight: Rehabilitation of Stroke Patients With a Digital Occupational Training System
Published on: December 29, 2023
Positive outcome of visuospatial deficit rehabilitation in children with epilepsy using computer-based FORAMENRehab
Marianne Saard1, Madis Bachmann2, Kirsi Sepp3
1University of Tartu, Faculty of Medicine, Tartu, Estonia.
Insights
Computer-based neurorehabilitation effectively improved visuospatial skills in children with epilepsy. The FORAMENRehab program showed lasting benefits, enhancing daily life functions and demonstrating high compliance.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neurorehabilitation
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Children with epilepsy frequently experience attention and visuospatial deficits.
- Evidence-based pediatric neurorehabilitation methods for these deficits are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-based program, FORAMENRehab, for improving visuospatial deficits in children with epilepsy.
Main Methods:
- A 5-week intervention using FORAMENRehab software with 17 children with epilepsy.
- Comparison with a waiting-list control group (22 children with epilepsy) and 19 healthy controls.
- Assessments conducted pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at a 1.31-year follow-up.
Main Results:
- Immediate improvements in visual organization, visual attention, and visuospatial perception.
- Sustained long-term gains across all four trained visuospatial components.
- Positive generalized effects reported by children and parents, with skills transferring to daily life.
Conclusions:
- FORAMENRehab is an effective computer-based neurorehabilitation tool for pediatric epilepsy.
- The program demonstrates both immediate and long-term benefits for visuospatial functions.
- High compliance suggests engagement and effectiveness in pediatric neurorehabilitation.
Abstract:
Children with epilepsy often show deficits in attention and visuospatial functions. Still, very few systematically controlled evidence-based pediatric neurorehabilitation methods exist. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of a computer-based rehabilitation program for visuospatial deficit remediation in children with epilepsy. Fifty-eight children aged 8-12 years participated: 17 children with epilepsy diagnosis in intervention group, 22 patients in waiting-list control group, and 19 healthy age equivalent controls. The intervention group received guided visuospatial functions rehabilitation with FORAMENRehab software twice a week for a 5-week period. Baseline assessments were carried out before and immediately after the intervention period, and as follow-up 1.31 years later. Intervention group showed positive immediate rehabilitation effect in 3 out of 4 visuospatial components: visual organization, visual attention, and visuospatial perception. A long-term rehabilitation effect in the study group was observed in all 4 of the trained components. Also, a positive generalized effect was confirmed by the parents' and children's qualitative feedback with some of the improved skills transferring to children's everyday life. One hundred percent compliance further confirmed the children's motivation to participate and the effectiveness of FORAMENRehab for pediatric neurorehabilitation.
