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175 active trials for Cerebral Palsy

Movement-2-Music: Lakeshore Examination of Activity, Disability, and Exercise Response Study

The purpose of this study is to test the effects of an innovative exercise program referred to as movement-2-music (M2M) on health and fitness outcomes in adults with physical/mobility disabilities. One hundred and eight participants with physical/mobility disabilities will be recruited and randomly enrolled into one of two groups: a) M2M or b) waitlist control. The primary aim of this study is to determine the effects of a 12-week M2M program on health and fitness in participants with physical/mobility disabilities who are in one of three functional mobility groups: 1) Group I - only able to exercise while sitting, 2) Group II - able to exercise sitting and standing with/without support, and 3) Group III - able to exercise one side of the body more than the other side. The second aim is to compare the observed effects of the program in this study to a previous M2M study that groups participants based on disability type. The third aim of this study is to test whether adherence (defined as attendance to the 12-week program) affects the effects of M2M in participants with physical/mobility disabilities. The potential influences of different functional mobility and disabilities of participants on how the program affects participants' health and fitness outcomes will also be tested. **In response to COVID-19, the 12-week M2M intervention and all assessments have been modified from being delivered in-person at Lakeshore Foundation to being delivered remotely in real-time through videoconferencing technology.**

Start: August 2019
The Impact of Participation on Body Functions Among Youth With Physical Disabilities

Youth with physical disabilities experience greater limitations to participation in community- based activities than do their average-developing peers, which can result in poor health outcomes. Emerging treatment approaches aimed at improving activity and participation have shifted from focusing only on impaired body functions towards the performance of functionally meaningful activities within the youth's natural environment. It is unclear; however, whether targeting intervention at the activity/participation level can simultaneously result in improvement of personal functional skills (e.g., reaching) and body functions (e.g., range of motion, balance) - components known to worsen with age and, thus, important to address and maintain within the rehabilitation process. Our team has partnered with key community-based stakeholders including youth, clinicians and policy-makers, and together we plan to examine whether engaging in an 8-week self-chosen community-based activity (e.g., sledge hockey, boccia) can lead to a significant improvement in three key body functions: motor, cognitive and affective. Thirty youth with physical disabilities will take part in the study and engage in an activity program of their choice. Changes in their body functions (e.g., movement, attention, mood) will be measured multiple times before, during and after engagement in the chosen activity/program. Findings of this study can guide clinicians, families and policy-makers to select effective approaches that not only promote participation but also facilitate additional motor and mental benefits from one single intervention. Such treatment approaches may also reduce the burden on the healthcare system as well as on the youth and families. Moreover, findings can advance our understanding of methods for testing complex and unique 'real-life' individual-based interventions that are highly relevant to practice.

Start: August 2020
The Small Step Program - Early Intervention for Children With High Risk of Developing Cerebral Palsy

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have life-long motor disorders caused by brain injuries which occur around birth. These children go through extensive treatment during childhood, but the treatment has generally been started late due to late diagnosis (median age 15 months). New recommendations state that the clinical diagnosis "high risk of CP" should be given before 6 months corrected age, in order to be able to intervene as early as possible, and have the best possibilities to prevent or limit the adverse neurodevelopmental consequences of brain injuries occurring around birth. Thus, there is a great need to develop evidence-based early interventions for children at high risk of developing cerebral palsy. The Small Step program is developed at Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Stockholm, Sweden and is based upon theories of brain plasticity induced by early learning. The efficacy of the program is presently being investigated at KI. Preliminary results indicate a large individual variation in response to the program among the participating children. The aim of the present study is therefore to explore individual responses to the Small Step Program in infants at risk of developing cerebral palsy. The main hypothesis is that infant characteristics, such as severity of brain pathology, are associated with differential response to the program. Also, infants with absent fidgety movements and children with sporadic fidgety movements are believed to respond differently to the program.

Start: September 2017
The Caregiver's Burden in Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) results from damage to the developing brain of the fetus or infant. These non-progressive lesions cause a set of permanent movement and posture disorders, responsible for activity limitations. These disorders are often accompanied by sensory, perceptual, cognitive impairments, communication and behavioral disorders, and sometimes epilepsy and/or secondary musculoskeletal problems. It is the leading cause of motor disability in childhood and affects 200 newborns per year in Belgium. Cerebral palsy affects two to three people in every 1,000 of the world's population. The prevalence, incidence and most common causes have varied over time due to significant changes in obstetric care and pediatric care. In 75% of all cases of cerebral palsy, the lesions occurred before childbirth. The population of adults diagnosed with cerebral palsy is increasing as the survival rate of children born with a disability increases. This population requires adapted and expert care services for the continuous monitoring and management of their condition. In addition, the development of additional health problems in adulthood increases the need for permanent access to care structures. Adults with CP have a higher rate of chronic health problems (ischemic heart disease) and a deterioration in their functional status. They would also have difficulty having a social and professional life which negatively impacts their quality of life. A large number of adults with CP cannot access appropriate care or medico-social structures. This results in a significant involvement of caregivers (family environment or close entourage). The role of caregiver is at the origin of a significant physical and psychological burden, whether for underage patients or adult patients. The study of this burden is well known in certain neurological pathologies (head trauma, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors). In the field of cerebral palsy, a study showed that the primary caregivers of children with CP had higher levels of psychological and physical disorders than the control group studied (caregivers of healthy children). Currently, there are very few studies assessing the burden of caregivers of adults with cerebral palsy. The objective of this study is to analyze, through various specific questionnaires, the quality of life and the presence of depressive symptoms linked to the burden of caregivers of adults and children with cerebral palsy, taking into account socio-economic and environmental data.

Start: November 2019