Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2025
Author Spotlight: Rehabilitation of Stroke Patients With a Digital Occupational Training System
Published on: December 29, 2023
Telerehabilitation of subjects with neurodevelopmental disorders during confinement due to COVID-19
Esteban Vaucheret Paz1, Mariana Giacchino1, Mariana Leist1
1Servicio de Neurología Infantil, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Insights
Telerehabilitation offers significant cognitive and functional improvements for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. This remote therapy is a safe alternative when in-person treatment is unavailable.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- COVID-19 pandemic social distancing limited access to in-person therapies for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Telerehabilitation emerged as a crucial alternative therapeutic modality during this period.
- This study investigated the efficacy of remote cognitive rehabilitation for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the effects of telerehabilitation on cognitive and functional outcomes in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
- To assess the correlation between the number of telerehabilitation sessions and observed improvements.
- To evaluate parental perception of improvement and satisfaction with telerehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, quasi-experimental (before-after) study design.
- Inclusion of 22 pediatric patients with neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Duration of telerehabilitation intervention exceeding six months.
Main Results:
- Statistically significant improvements observed in attention, executive functions, visuospatial skills, and language after six months of telerehabilitation.
- Significant improvements noted across all domains of the Weiss Functional Impairment Scale.
- Positive correlation found between session frequency and improvements in executive functions, attention, and visuospatial skills.
- High parental satisfaction and perceived improvement reported.
Conclusions:
- Telerehabilitation serves as a safe and effective alternative tool for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
- While not a replacement for face-to-face therapy, telerehabilitation yields significant cognitive and functional gains.
- Remote therapy demonstrates potential to bridge treatment gaps and support pediatric neurodevelopmental care.
Introduction:
Social distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic prevented many children with neurodevelopmental disorders from accessing face-to-face treatments. Telerehabilitation grew at this time as an alternative therapeutic tool. In this study we analysed remote cognitive rehabilitation in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Methods:
This was a prospective, quasi-experimental (before-after) study that included 22 patients (mean age 9.41 years) with neurodevelopmental disorders who had telerehabilitation for over six months.
Results:
After six months of telerehabilitation, a statistically significant improvement was found with a large effect size in these areas: attention (sustained, selective and divided), executive functions (verbal and visual working memory, categorisation, processing speed), visuospatial skills (spatial orientation, perceptual integration, perception, simultanagnosia) and language (comprehensive and expressive). On the Weiss Functional Impairment Scale, all areas (family, learning and school, self-concept, activities of daily living, risk activities) improved with statistical significance. We found a positive correlation between the number of sessions and the improvement observed in executive functions (visual working memory, processing speed), attention (sustained attention, divided attention) and visuospatial skills (spatial orientation, perceptual integration, perception, simultanagnosia). We did not find statistical significance between the family structure and the number of sessions carried out. A high degree of perception of improvement and satisfaction was observed in the parents.
Conclusions:
Telerehabilitation is a safe alternative tool which, although it does not replace face-to-face therapy, can achieve significant cognitive and functional improvements in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:19Restorative Care