Clinical trial NCT06977256: The Use of Telerehabilitation to Improve Motor Skills and Participation in Children With Developmental Disorders
Official title: The Use of Telerehabilitation to Enhance Motor Function, Activity Performance, and Participation in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Developmental Coordination Disorder
Telerehabilitation
Exercise
Occupational Therapy
Lead sponsor: Istanbul Medipol University Hospital
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-05-18
Enrollment: 20
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 3
Maximum age (years): 7
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the effects of a traditional sensory-based intervention and a telerehabilitation-based sensory intervention in children aged 3-7 years diagnosed with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Participants were randomly assigned to either face-to-face or combined face-to-face and telerehabilitation groups. The outcome measures included occupational performance, sensory processing, and functional independence. The study was conducted with ethical approval, and informed consent was obtained from all legal guardians.

Detailed description: This single-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the effects of a traditional face-to-face sensory-based intervention and a telerehabilitation-based sensory intervention in children aged 3-7 years diagnosed with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). A total of 22 participants were randomized into two groups: the Sensory-Based Intervention (SBI) group and the Telerehabilitation-Based Sensory Intervention (TBSI) group.

The SBI group received weekly 40-minute in-person sessions for 8 weeks. The TBSI group received the same 8-week in-person intervention followed by 8 weeks of weekly 30-minute telerehabilitation sessions delivered via Zoom. Both interventions included structured sensory activities tailored to each child's developmental level.

Primary and secondary outcomes were measured before and after the intervention using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), the Dunn Sensory Profile Parent Questionnaire, and the Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM). The study followed CONSORT guidelines and ethical approval was obtained. Written informed consent was provided by all legal guardians.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Having a neurodevelopmental disorder with a confirmed diagnosis of one of the following: autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, developmental delay, communication disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
* Absence of any condition that may interfere with cooperation during the study
* Receiving occupational therapy training for a duration between 3 months and 1 year to ensure group homogeneity in terms of prior therapy experience

Exclusion Criteria:

* Presence of any visual or hearing impairment that could affect study outcomes
* Having any systemic disease
* Having a physical disability that may interfere with movement or motor function

Primary outcomes:
measure: Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM)
timeFrame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
measure: Dunn Sensory Profile
timeFrame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
measure: Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM)
timeFrame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Istanbul
country: Turkey
facility: Günışığı Counseling Center and Istanbul Medipol University
state: Beykoz
Study officials:
affiliation: Medipol University
name: Mazlum Uruc, MSc
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: