Long-term effects of constraint induced therapy on hemiparetic upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy between two and ten years of age

Abstract

The hemiparetic Cerebral palsy (CP) is responsable for 25% of all CP cases, being that one of the main complications of the non-functional use of the affected upper limb. With intentions to maximize the use of this member, the Constraint-Induced Therapy (CIT) has emerged as an effective method. Structural changes in the brain and functional improvement of the affected limb were observed after application of CIT. In order to increase knowledge about the effects and retention after therapy it is important that new studies are conducted. Thus, this research aims to verify the effects of CIT and the retenctions of this effects on use of the upper limb in children with hemiparetic PC between two and ten years old. Methodology: Application of CIT protocol for 3 weeks with intensive training for 3 hours a day, at the child's home. Will be applied a total of seven evaluations, one before (pre-test) and six after applying CIT (post-test). The post-tests will be immediately after the last session of the CIT, ten days after, and two, four, six and eight months after the last session. All evaluations will use the kinematic analysis of reaching movements with grasping using Qualisys Motion Capture System (Qualisys), analysis of quantitative, qualitative variables and motor function of the upper limb by using the scales Pediatric Arm Function Test (PAFT) and Upper Extremity Pediatric Motor Activity Log (PMAL). Quantitative variables will be submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey post-hoc (p <0.05) to compare pairs of means, adopting the significance level of 5%. (AU)