INTERPRETATION In children with CP , h and splints may have a small benefit for upper limb skills .
However , results are diminished after splint wearing stops .
AIM The aim of this review was to determine the effectiveness of h and splinting for improving h and function in children with cerebral palsy ( CP ) and brain injury .
Efficacy of a hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy (HABIT) in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: a randomized control trial.
Children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy ( CP ) have impairments in bimanual coordination above and beyond their unilateral impairments . Recently we developed h and -arm bimanual intensive therapy ( HABIT ) , using the principles of motor learning , and neuroplasticity , to address these bimanual impairments . A single-blinded r and omized control study of HABIT was performed to examine its efficacy in children with hemiplegic CP with mild to moderate h and involvement . Twenty children ( age range 3 y 6 mo-15 y 6 mo ) were r and omized to either an intervention ( n=10 : seven males , three females ; mean age 8 y 7 mo , SD 4 y ) or a delayed treatment control group ( n=10 : seven males , three females ; mean age 6 y 10 mo , SD 2 y 4 mo ) . Children were engaged in play and functional activities that provided structured bimanual practice 6 hours per day for 10 days . Each child was evaluated immediately before and after the intervention , and again at 1-month post-intervention . Children in the intervention group demonstrated improved scores on the Assisting H and Assessment , increased involved extremity use measured using accelerometry and a caregiver survey , bimanual items of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency , and the simultaneity of completing a draw-opening task with two h and s ( p<0.05 in all cases ) . The results suggest that for this carefully selected subgroup of children with hemiplegic CP , HABIT appears to be efficacious in improving bimanual h and use
INTERPRETATION In children with CP , h and splints may have a small benefit for upper limb skills .
However , results are diminished after splint wearing stops .
AIM The aim of this review was to determine the effectiveness of h and splinting for improving h and function in children with cerebral palsy ( CP ) and brain injury .