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Typical infant movement is characterized by a high degree of motor exploration, error, and variability. However, children with cerebral palsy (CP) often cannot create these experiences due to their neuromotor impairments. The purpose of this case study is to describe a 6-month course of physical therapy (PT) incorporating principles of infant motor learning using dynamic weight support (DWS) in a child with CP. The child was a 27-month-old girl with diplegic CP who functioned at Gross Motor Function Classification System Level IV. The child received 68 PT sessions over a six-month period. DWS was used during therapy to encourage motor practice. The therapy area was arranged to encourage active exploration, motor variability, and error experience. Gross motor function, postural control, parent perception of performance, and parent satisfaction were measured before, during, and after the course of therapy. Gross motor function increased during the treatment beyond the level predicted from natural progression. Postural control fluctuated and demonstrated no appreciable improvement. Parent-perceived performance and satisfaction improved on three of four goals. Using DWS to incorporate principles of infant learning may have facilitated the development of gross motor skills in a child with diplegic CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of motor disability in children. A concept to consider in order to meet the needs of children with CP and their families is family empowerment. Family empowerment can be defined as the process by which families acquire the skills, knowledge and resources to allow them to gain control and improve the quality of their lives. The relationship between gross motor function and family empowerment may be important because children with CP vary so widely in their ability to perform motor skills, which may affect their family's levels of empowerment. The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between the Family Empowerment Scale (FES) and Gross Motor Function Measure‐66 (GMFM‐66) in children with CP who were under 3 years of age. Methods: Forty‐one children with a mean age of 23.8 months participated in this study. The FES was completed by the participants' parents or regular caregivers and includes a total score and subscales of empowerment in the family, in service situations and in community/political environments. The GMFM‐66 was administered by a physical therapist and consists of a total score of gross motor function (GMFM‐66) and subscores for Dimension B (sitting), Dimension C (crawling and kneeling), Dimension D (standing) and Dimension E (walking, running and jumping). Results: Statistically significant positive correlations were found between the FES total and GMFM (total score and Dimensions B–E) with coefficients varying from 0.43–0.62. Significant relationships were also found between most subscales of the FES and the GMFM‐66. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of a relationship between family empowerment and gross motor function in young children with CP and suggests that caregivers of children with higher gross motor function report higher levels of self‐efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Early Clinical Assessment of Balance (ECAB) is a measure of postural stability for children with cerebral palsy (CP). The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between the ECAB and Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (GMFM-66) and to determine the responsiveness of the ECAB in children with CP under three years of age. Methods: Twenty seven children (mean age of 25 months) participated. Data were collected before and after 3 and 6 months of physical therapy. Responsiveness was calculated using standardized response means (SRM). Results: Significant relationships were observed between the ECAB, GMFM-66 score (r = 0.87), and GMFM subscales (r = 0.63–0.86). A moderate effect size (SRM = 0.62) and a large effect size (SRM = 0.92) for the ECAB were found over the 3- and 6-month intervention periods, respectively. Conclusion: These results support the validity and responsiveness of the ECAB in young children with CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]