Sensory Integration Therapy and Cerebral Palsy
Condition: Cerebral Palsy
MeSH terms: Cerebral Palsy
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This intervention study was planned to investigate the effects of Sensory Integration Therapy
      that added to the conventional therapy program on spasticity, balance, motor function and
      functional independency levels of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy
    

Detailed description: 
      Cerebral Palsy is a disease that can cause motor skill and posture disorders due to a
      non-progressive lesion in the brain that has not yet completed its development. Cerebral
      palsy is among the most common causes of disability in childhood. There are many conditions
      that can cause Cerebral Palsy. Risk groups that cause brain damage can be considered as
      prenatal, perinatal and postnatal risk factors.The lesion that occurs in the central nervous
      system in patients with Cerebral Palsy causes some problems in the musculoskeletal system,
      nervous system and sensory systems. In addition to these problems, depending on the level of
      the lesion, posture, movement disorders and balance problems occur in individuals with
      Cerebral Palsy. Sensory integration therapy is a neurological process of perceiving,
      interpreting and organizing our senses for an effective integration of the individual with
      the environment. When the literature is examined, the number of studies investigating the
      effect of sensory integration program in children with spastic diplegic type Cerebral Palsy
      is insufficient. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of sensory integration
      therapy on spasticity, balance and motor function in children with spastic diplegic type
      Cerebral Palsy and to provide the data obtained at the end of the study to the literature
      both theoretically and practically.

      The hypothesis of the study is:

        -  Sensory integration program reduces spasticity in children with spastic diplegic type
           Cerebral Palsy.

        -  Sensory integration program increases balance in children with spastic diplegic type
           Cerebral Palsy.

        -  Sensory integration program increases motor function in children with spastic diplegic
           type Cerebral Palsy.
    

Intervention name(s): Conventional Exercises; Sensory Integration Therapy
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): This conventional exercises included stretching and strengthening, balance-coordination, mobility and range of motion exercises.
The control group received conventional therapy 3 days a week for 8 weeks. Each therapy session a day lasted 45 minutes in control group.; The Sensory Integration Therapy was applied to the intervention group in addition to the conventional exercise program. Sensory Integration Therapy included tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular activities. The tactile sensory activities consisted of materials such as stepping stones, tactile box, brushing, fabric walking path. The vestibular sensory activities consisted of materials such as hammock swings, trampolines, rope nets, rock walls, river stones. Proprioceptive sensory activities consisted of materials such as weight bearing activities, heavy lifting, deep pressure, big ball activities, tug of war and ball pits.
The intervention group underwent each session 45 minute conventional therapy and 15 minutes SIT. The therapy program continued 3 days a week for 8 weeks in intervention group.
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: The study consisted of 2 groups as control and experiment.
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Sensory Integration; Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation