Lung Boost Trainer Versus Incentive Spirometer on Pulmonary Function Post COVID Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy Children;...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Physical Therapy
• Respiratory Rehabilitation
• Neuromuscular Disorders

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) is a leading cause of childhood motor disability, often associated with impaired pulmonary function due to reduced chest wall movement and weak respiratory muscles.
• Post-COVID-19 recovery in children with spastic hemiplegic CP presents unique challenges to respiratory health and functional capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of the Lung Boost Trainer (LBT) against an incentive spirometer (IST) in improving pulmonary function in children with spastic hemiplegic CP after COVID-19.
• To evaluate the impact of LBT and IST on functional capacity and quality of life in the target pediatric population.

Main Methods:

• A single-blind randomized controlled trial involving 60 children (aged 4-9 years) with spastic hemiplegic CP, allocated into three groups: LBT, IST, and Traditional Respiratory Physical Therapy (TRPT).
• Intervention consisted of five weekly sessions for four weeks.
• Outcomes measured included pulmonary function (spirometry), functional capacity (six-minute walk test), and quality of life (SF-36 physical domain) pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• All three intervention groups showed statistically significant improvements (p ≤ 0.05) in pulmonary function, 6MWT, and SF-36 physical domain scores post-treatment.
• The Lung Boost Trainer group demonstrated superior outcomes compared to both the Incentive Spirometer and Traditional Respiratory Physical Therapy groups.

Conclusions:

• The Lung Boost Trainer is an effective intervention for enhancing pulmonary function (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC) and functional capacity in children with spastic hemiplegic CP following COVID-19.
• LBT offers a promising therapeutic option for respiratory rehabilitation in this specific pediatric population.