What Does the Research Say About NDT?

Many occupational and physical therapists have used neurodevelopmental therapy (NDT) when helping children with cerebral palsy. Neurodevelopmental treatment is a hands-on approach. The goal is to help improve gross motor skills in children and adults who have neurological problems. This can help them be more independent in different areas of their lives. In simple terms, the goal is to stimulate certain muscles to correct abnormal movement patterns to help children complete functional activities easier. But, what does the research say about NDT?

RESEARCH REVIEW ON NEURODEVELOPMENT THERAPY

Pediatrics completed a research review on NDT for children with cerebral palsy. The objective of the review was to establish the efficacy of NDT in children and infants with cerebral palsy or at high risk for cerebral palsy. The researchers screened 667 records of randomized controlled trials comparing NDT with any or no interventions. A total of 34 studies met the inclusion criteria where there were 1332 participants.

WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY ABOUT NDT?

Following analysis, the data indicated the following:

no effect between NDT and control groups.
a moderate effect that favored activity-based approaches and body function and structures over NDT.
no effect between higher and lower dose NDT.

CONCLUSION

The researchers concluded that activity-based and body structure and function interventions are more effective than NDT for improving motor function in children with cerebral palsy. There was no difference in motor function based on the dosage of NDT. The researchers made a strong recommendation against the use of NDT at any dose.

REFERENCE

Anna te Velde, Catherine Morgan, Megan Finch-Edmondson, Lynda McNamara, Maria McNamara, Madison Claire Badawy Paton, Emma Stanton, Annabel Webb, Nadia Badawi, Iona Novak; Neurodevelopmental Therapy for Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics June 2022; 149 (6): e2021055061. 10.1542/peds.2021-055061