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Background: Parkinson ́s disease (PD) is characterised by small, slow movements affecting balance and gait. Lee-Silverman-Voice-Treatment-(LSVT)-BIG is an intensive intervention aiming to restore normal amplitudes of movements. This study aimed to examine whether LSVT-BIG influences dynamic balance and gait in persons with PD. Methods: We used a Single-Subject-Experimental-Design with three phases; phase A (2 weeks) with no treatment, phase B (4 weeks) with LSVT-BIG-treatment and LSVT-BIG-home-training, and phase C (7–8 weeks) with LSVT-BIG-home-training. Two persons with PD participated. Outcome measures included the Mini-Balance-Evaluation-Systems-Test (Mini-BESTest) with its four subcomponents ('anticipatory postural adjustments', 'postural responses', 'sensory orientation', 'balance during gait'), the Step-Test (ST) and 10-Meter-Walk-Test-fast (10MWT-fast). The participants were assessed 6, 4 and 8 times during phase A, B and C, respectively. During phase B, they received 16 individual 1-hour LSVT-BIG-treatment sessions and completed between 28 and 39 1-hour sessions LSVT-BIG-home-training. During phase C, they were encouraged to complete one session of home-training every day. Results: The Mini-BESTest-total-score, 'balance during gait', ST and 10MWT-fast improved significantly in both participants. One participant demonstrated improved 'postural responses'. Two of the Mini-BESTest subcomponents were not sensitive to possible improvements. Conclusion: LSVT-BIG may have a positive effect on dynamic balance and gait-speed in persons with PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Giving birth prematurely challenges bonding, optimal parent-child interactions and parental confidence in the early care of their preterm infants. In this study we explored the short-term impact of a parent administered motor intervention programme on parents' perception of competency and relationship building with their preterm infant. Methods: We conducted 11 interviews at infant age term and three months corrected age, involving parents of seven preterm infants who had performed the functional movement intervention programme in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. A phenomenological-hermeneutical analysis was conducted. Results: After implementing the intervention, the parents were no longer fearful of moving their babies and expressed heightened awareness of their infant's responses and competency. The parents enjoyed the infants' positive responses to handling and movement and this reinforced attachment between the parent and the child. The parents felt empowered by taking control of decision-making and by being more interactive with their child. Their role in contributing to the infant's development was empowering in itself. Conclusion: Overall, the parent administered intervention programme had a substantial positive impact on parent-infant bonding and parents' perceptions of empowerment and competency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]