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Dual Task Training Interventions and Mobility-Based Outcomes in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Scoping Review
Meaghan Rubsam1,2,3, Gay L Girolami1,2, Tanvi Bhatt1,2
1Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.
Insights
Dual task training (DTT) shows promise for improving motor skills in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Further research is needed to optimize DTT for better outcomes in children with CP.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Neurology
- Motor Control
Background:
- Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often experience difficulties performing tasks simultaneously.
- Dual task training (DTT) is known to improve motor performance in typically developing individuals and those with neurological conditions.
- The efficacy of DTT specifically for children with CP is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify, describe, and synthesize existing evidence on DTT interventions for children with CP.
- To evaluate the effects of DTT on mobility, activity, and participation outcomes in children with CP.
Main Methods:
- A scoping review was conducted using five electronic databases.
- Included studies were in English, focused on children with CP, and utilized motor-motor or motor-cognitive DTT.
- Studies had to detail the intervention and report outcomes.
Main Results:
- Six studies involving 117 children with CP were included.
- Interventions included motor-motor (2 studies) and motor-cognitive (4 studies) DTT paradigms.
- All studies reported improvements in primary motor task performance.
Conclusions:
- Preliminary evidence suggests DTT may enhance primary motor task performance in children with CP.
- Study heterogeneity necessitates further rigorous research.
- Optimal exercise prescription, training regimens, and dosing for DTT in CP require further investigation.
Purpose:
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) struggle in dual task (DT) situations, where interference may decrease performance when executing two simultaneous tasks. Dual task training (DTT) improves primary motor performance in individuals with typical development and neurological conditions, and emerging research also suggests benefits for DT performance. Its potential in children with CP, however, remains unexplored. This scoping review aims to (1) identify; (2) describe; and (3) synthesize the current evidence for DTT interventions in children with CP, and (4) evaluating its effects on mobility-based impairment, activity, and participation level outcomes.
Methods:
Five electronic databases were searched. Studies were included if they were in English, included children with CP, used a motor-motor or motor-cognitive DTT intervention, detailed the intervention, and reported results.
Results:
The six studies included 117 children with CP (F: 50, M: 67) and used motor-motor (n = 2) and motor-cognitive (n = 4) DTT paradigms. Training ranged from 480 to 1800 min, and all studies showed improved primary motor task performance.
Conclusion:
Despite the study heterogeneity, the results provide early, yet promising, evidence that DTT may enhance primary motor task performance in children with CP. Robust and rigorous research is needed to explore the effects of exercise prescription, training regimens, and optimal dosing on motor and cognitive outcomes.
