The Role of Robotic Rehabilitation in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

In the last years, traditional treatments have been combined with innovative therapies, such as robot-assisted training, an interesting new rehabilitation tool for children with neurologic impairment. The robots deliver a high dose of training and intensity, critical factors for the activation of neuronal plasticity. Despite their increasing use, the effectiveness of robotic devices in the rehabilitation process lacks of an overall and shared framework of reference. The analysis of the literature reveals some positive aspects of the use of robotics in pediatric rehabilitation and others that are critical.