Frequency of Therapy for Children with Cerebral Palsy

The frequency of school based therapy and medically based therapy is not a completely objective process for children with cerebral palsy. Therapists seem to base recommendations on research, education and their own experiences. One type of frequency that I rarely see prescribed is intensive bursts of therapy followed by rest periods with no therapy. This type of frequency has research to back it up showing the benefits of intensive therapy periods such as:

• improved motor outcomes following the intensive periods and even during the rest periods’
• improved family centered care and communication
• improved cost effectiveness

When prescribing intensive bursts of therapy, it is most beneficial to start during a transition phase which is a time of increased variability. This can be difficult to determine when that time periods occurs for each child. Following the intensive period the rest period allows the child to practice the new skills that were learned.

If you see motor changes in a child with increased variability in their movements, do you consider an intensive burst of therapy? Would love to hear from any therapists who do provide intensive bursts of therapy especially in the school setting? Any tips for how you schedule it would be helpful.

Reference: Karen Sauve and Doreen Bartlett (2010) Dynamic Systems Theory: A Framework for Exploring Readiness to Change in Children with Cerebral Palsy. Retrieved from the web on 6/20/211 at http://www.canchild.ca/en/canchildresources/dynamic_systems_theory.asp