Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2025
12:33
Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
Published on: December 31, 2013
8.9K
Perception-Action Approach Versus Standard Care for Infants With Congenital Muscular Torticollis: A Pilot
Mary Rahlin1, Nancy B Haney2, Joyce Barnett3
1Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Physical Therapy
|March 14, 2024
Summary
The Perception-Action Approach (P-AA) showed similar short-term benefits to standard care for infants with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT). While P-AA group infants had higher symmetry and behavior scores, further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Physical Therapy
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) is a common condition in infants requiring effective interventions.
- The Perception-Action Approach (P-AA) is an intervention strategy with potential benefits for infants with CMT.
- Standard care serves as a benchmark for evaluating new therapeutic approaches in CMT management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the short-term outcomes of the Perception-Action Approach (P-AA) versus standard care for infants with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT).
- To evaluate changes in postural alignment, motor symmetry, gross motor development, and infant behavior during therapy.
- To assess the feasibility of P-AA as a first-choice intervention based on clinical practice guidelines.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, single-blind pilot study involving 32 infants diagnosed with CMT (age 5-35 weeks).
- Participants were assigned to either the P-AA group or the standard care group, each receiving 3 intervention sessions.
- Outcome measures included still photography, arthrodial goniometry, Muscle Function Scale, Alberta Infant Motor Scale, and Functional Symmetry Observation Scale, alongside the Therapy Behavior Scale Version 2.2.
Main Results:
- Twenty-four infants completed the study due to COVID-19 pandemic interruptions.
- Both groups demonstrated improvements in most outcome measures, with no statistically significant differences between P-AA and standard care.
- The P-AA group showed a trend towards greater gains in functional symmetry and improved therapy behavior scores, though not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- The pilot study suggests that P-AA and standard care yield similar short-term outcomes for infants with CMT.
- Definitive conclusions on P-AA efficacy require larger, adequately funded future trials.
- This study provides preliminary data for a future randomized controlled trial investigating P-AA in infants with CMT.
