Evaluation the Feasibility and Effects of Kinect-based Computer Games as UE Training Tool in Cerebral Palsy Children
Condition: Cerebral Palsy
MeSH terms: Paralysis; Cerebral Palsy
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to design and evaluation the feasibility, effects of
      Kinect-based Computer Games as Upper Extremity Training Tool in Children with Cerebral Palsy.
    

Detailed description: 
      Background Children with cerebral palsy (CP) usually have various limitations in function of
      their upper limbs. Upper limbs function training is one of the important issues in CP
      rehabilitation. There is a growing interest in rehabilitation specialists to integrate
      commercialized interactive computer play into rehabilitation programs. According to the
      literature research, commercialized interactive computer play could improve speed and quality
      of movement, for hand or upper limb function, the results were mixed. The investigators think
      the interactive computer play could be feasible in upper limb training among children with
      CP. However, the investigators should integrate the rehabilitation training concept to the
      computer playing in order to get better outcome from such training. The electronic experts
      and rehabilitation experts should work together to reach the goal. Therefore, the aims of
      this study are 1.to design Kinect computer games as the rehabilitation training tool for
      upper limbs of children with CP, 2. to assess the feasibility and effects of the Kinect
      computer games.

      Methods The investigators will spend around nine months to design the computer games. The
      investigators will search from the internet to download the computer games which are with no
      copy-right issue. The investigators will use Kinect sensor to catch the child's motion. The
      rehabilitation team will choose several upper limb motions which are common used in training
      for children with CP. Then Professor Chang's team will modify the software design to make
      those target motions to be the game control actions.When a prototype game is created, the
      investigators will invite two to four children with CP to pilot test the game. The game
      design will be completed till children and therapists satisfy the design.

      Within one year and three months the investigators will do a randomized control trial to
      compare the effects between the Kinect games and traditional occupational therapy (OT) in the
      upper limb function of children in CP. The investigators will recruit 30 children and
      randomize them into two groups.

      In each intervention section the intervention group will receive computer games training for
      30 minutes and 30 minutes traditional OT. The control group will receive traditional OT for 1
      hour. There are 3 sections for 1 week; the intervention period will be 8 weeks.

      Statistic methods Inter-group differences in baseline characteristics were evaluated using an
      independent t tests or Wilcoxon rank sum tests or χ2 analysis. Analysis of variance with
      repeated measures was used to determine the effects of intervention on each dependent
      variable. Model effects were group, time, and their interaction.
    

Intervention name(s): Kinect; Traditional OT(30 Mins); Traditional OT(60 Mins)
Intervention type(s): Device; Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Receive computer games training for 30 minutes. There are 3 sections for 1 week; the intervention period will be 8 weeks.; Receive Traditional Occupational Therapy training for 30 minutes. There are 3 sections for 1 week; the intervention period will be 8 weeks.; Receive Traditional Occupational Therapy training for 60 minutes. There are 3 sections for 1 week; the intervention period will be 8 weeks.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Cerebral Palsy.; Upper Extremity; Kinect; Virtual reality