CO-OP for Children with Cerebral Palsy
Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is defined by Polatajko and Mandich as a “a client-centered, performance based, problem solving approach that enables skill acquisition through a process of strategy use and guided discovery”. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics published a small single case study series on 18 children between the ages of 7-12 years old. Nine participants were in a CO-OP group and the other nine participants were in Current Usual Practice Approach group. All participants received ten 1 hour sessions of intervention about one time per week at home. For assessment the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and the Performance Quality Rating Scale were used. The results indicated that:
- the children in the CO-OP group were able to learn the strategies and achieve their chosen goals.
- both interventions equally promoted skill acquisition and skill maintenance at follow-up.
- effect sizes suggested that CO-OP may show some advantage for transfer and maintenance.
The researchers concluded that more research is needed to further support the benefits of CO-OP for children with cerebral palsy.
Read more about Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP).
There are many resources to learn more about this cognitive based approach to achieving new motor skills. The official CO-OP Approach website: http://www.ot.utoronto.ca/coop/
For more informal information check out the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/coopapproach/
References:
Cameron, D. et al. Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP): A New Approach for Children with Cerebral Palsy. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr. 2016 Jun 9:1-16. [Epub ahead of print]. DOI:10.1080/01942638.2016.1185500
Polatajko & Mandich (2010). Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance
(CO-OP).
Teaching Motor Skills to Children with Cerebral Palsy and Similar Movement Disorders – FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION
