Occupational Therapy Home Programs Effective for CP

Pediatrics has published a study on the benefits of providing occupational therapy home programs for children with cerebral palsy.  A double blind, randomized controlled trial was done with 36 children with cerebral palsy (mean age 7.7 years old).  The children were GMFCS Levels I through V.  One group was to receive and follow the OT home program for 8 weeks, one group to follow OT home program for 4 weeks and the control group received no OT home program.  The parents of the children in the OT home program for 4 weeks did not discontinue the home program after 4 weeks and continued to do the program for the full 8 weeks.  Following the 8 weeks, the groups that received the OT home program showed a significant difference in function and parent satisfaction with function.  The researchers concluded that occupational therapy home programs:

“developed with a collaborative, evidence-based approach and implemented by parents at home were clinically effective if implemented 17.5 times per month for an average of 16.5 minutes per session”.

 You can read the full article at Pediatrics.

Reference:   Iona Novak, Anne Cusick, and Natasha Lannin. Occupational Therapy Home Programs for Cerebral Palsy: Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial. Pediatrics October 2009; 124:4 e606-e614; published ahead of print September 21, 2009, doi:10.1542/peds.2009-0288