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Published on: September 18, 2017
Development of virtual reality in the upper extremities function in children with Cerebral Palsy. A pilot randomized
Apiphan Iamchaimongkol1, Siriluck Sangkrai1, Pimtida Alberts1
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Insights
Virtual Reality (VR) therapy showed some benefits for upper limb function in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), particularly in younger participants. However, overall improvements were not significantly different from conventional occupational therapy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Neurology
- Assistive Technology
Background:
- Cerebral Palsy (CP) significantly impacts motor function in children.
- Upper extremity impairments are common in children with CP, affecting daily activities.
- Virtual Reality (VR) offers a novel approach to motor rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of VR interventions for improving upper extremity function in children with CP.
- To compare VR therapy with conventional occupational therapy in this population.
Main Methods:
- A pilot randomized controlled study involving 42 children with CP (aged 10-15).
- Participants were allocated to either a VR training group or a conventional occupational therapy group.
- Outcomes measured included range of motion (ROM), Box and Block Test (BBT), and ABILHAND-Kids scores.
Main Results:
- Both groups showed improvements in upper extremity ROM, BBT, and ABILHAND-Kids scores post-intervention.
- No significant overall differences were found between the VR and control groups.
- A subgroup analysis indicated significant ABILHAND-Kids improvements favoring VR in children aged 10-12 years.
Conclusions:
- VR intervention did not yield statistically significant improvements in upper extremity ROM and motor function compared to conventional therapy in the overall cohort.
- Preliminary results suggest potential benefits of VR for specific functional outcomes in younger children with CP.
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of the Virtual Reality (VR) in upper extremities function in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP).
Study Design:
Pilot randomization study.
Methods:
A total of 42 children with CP, aged 10 to15 years, were enrolled and randomly allocated into either an intervention group (n = 21) or a control group (n = 21) using a computer-generated block randomization sequence (block size of 4). There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The intervention group received a VR training program, whereas the control group underwent conventional occupational therapy. Both interventions were administered in 45-minute sessions, three days per week, over five weeks. Pre- and post-intervention outcome measures included major upper extremity range of motion (ROM), the Box and Block Test (BBT), and the ABILHAND-Kids assessment.
Results:
Post-intervention, both the VR and control groups demonstrated improvements across all measured outcomes, including upper-extremity ROM, BBT, and ABILHAND-Kids scores. Although no statistically significant between-group differences were observed in the overall cohort, a subgroup analysis revealed a statistically significant improvement in ABILHAND-Kids scores in favor of the VR intervention among children aged 10 to 12 years.
Conclusion:
These preliminary findings indicate that the VR intervention does not result in statistically significant improvements in upper-extremity ROM and motor function compared with conventional therapy.
