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Does somatosensory discrimination therapy alter sensorimotor upper limb function differently compared to motor therapy in children and adolescents with unilateral cerebral palsy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trialBesides motor impairments, up to 90% of the children and adolescents with unilateral cerebral palsy (uCP) present with somatosensory impairments in the upper limb. As somatosensory information is of utmost importance for coordinated movements and motor learning, somatosensory impairments can further compromise the effective use of the impaired upper limb in daily life activities.
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Cerebral palsy: EpidemiologyCerebral palsy (CP) is a lifelong physical disability, resulting from maldevelopment or damage to the developing brain. All children with CP have a disorder of movement and posture, but this is often accompanied by disorders of intellect, sensation, behaviour and epilepsy. Long-standing CP registers and surveillance systems estimate the prevalence of CP as approximately 2 per 1000 live births; however variations are seen over time and in different regions of the world.
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Efficacy of Health Literacy Interventions for Caregivers of Individuals with Neurodevelopmental and Chronic Conditions: A Rapid ReviewCaregivers of individuals with neurodevelopmental and chronic health conditions require health literacy (HL) skills for the long-term management of these conditions. The aim of this rapid review was to investigate the efficacy of HL interventions for these caregivers.
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Eating and drinking abilities and respiratory and oral health in children and young adults with cerebral palsyTo investigate the potential risk factors of respiratory illness (ethnicity, oral health, and eating and drinking ability) in children and young adults with cerebral palsy.
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Australian Clinicians’ Considerations When Choosing an Assessment of Functioning Tool for Children with Neurodevelopmental ConditionsIn the Australian disability context, the assessment of children with neurodevelopmental conditions’ functioning (across all domains) is of increasing importance, particularly since the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Currently, there is wide variability across assessment of functioning practices, including the choice and use of published tools for assessment.
News & Events
Churchill Fellow will seek ways to better support young people with neurodisabilityThe Kids Research Institute Australia researcher Hayley Passmore will use a prestigious Churchill Fellowship to investigate better ways to support young people in detention who are affected by neurodisability.
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Validating the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales–Developmental Profile Infant–Toddler Checklist (CSBS–DP ITC) Beyond Infancy in the CDKL5 Deficiency DisorderCDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) results in early-onset epilepsy and lifelong cognitive and motor impairments. With no validated measure for communication in CDD, this study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales-Developmental Profile Infant Toddler Checklist.
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How Well Does the EQ-5D-Y-5L Describe Children With Intellectual Disability?: “There's a Lot More to My Child Than That She Can't Wash or Dress Herself.”The EQ-5D-5L is a generic health utility instrument for measuring health-related quality of life (HRQoL), with self-report and proxy report versions for children (EQ-5D-Y-5L). Children with intellectual disability (ID) are a heterogeneous population whose impairments and comorbidities place them at risk of poor HRQoL. This study aimed to describe the content validity and suitability for children with ID of a proxy report version of the EQ-5D-Y-5L as seen by their caregivers.
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What does better look like in individuals with severe neurodevelopmental impairments? A qualitative descriptive study on SCN2A-related developmental and epileptic encephalopathyThere are limited psychometric data on outcome measures for children with Developmental Epileptic Encephalopathies (DEEs), beyond measuring seizures, and no data to describe meaningful change. This study aimed to explore parent perceptions of important differences in functional abilities that would guide their participation in clinical trials.
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Robust and Interpretable General Movement Assessment Using Fidgety Movement DetectionFidgety movements occur in infants between the age of 9 to 20 weeks post-term, and their absence are a strong indicator that an infant has cerebral palsy. Prechtl's General Movement Assessment method evaluates whether an infant has fidgety movements, but requires a trained expert to conduct it. Timely evaluation facilitates early interventions, and thus computer-based methods have been developed to aid domain experts.