[ effects of static cock up c-bar splint on strength, spasticity, ROM, and dominant hand function in spastic diplegic children]

Cerebral Palsy [CP] children are the most clients referred to occupational therapy settings. Hand function is important in Activities of Daily living. There is a hand dysfunction in most cerebral palsy children. Orthosis and splints are commonly used to improve the position, range of motion, quality of movement and function of a personrm or hand. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of static cock up c-bar splint on strength, spasticity, range of motion, and dominant hand function in spastic diplegic children with 8 to 12 years old. This interventional study is in a before-after design. Thirteen spastic diplegic cerebral palsy children with 8 to 12 years old were selected through students who studied in physical disabled schools in Tehran city and had the inclusion criteria. Patients used a static cock up c-bar splint [wrist in 10 degrees of extension and thumb in palmar abduction and opposition] for two months, 2 hours daily and 4-6 hours at night. In this study the Jebsen Taylor test was used to evaluate hand function, the Modified Ashworth Scale was used to assess spasticity of thumb, wrist and elbow, ROM of thumb, wrist and elbow were tested with goniometer and power grip was evaluated with dynamometer. Results showed a significant improvement in hand function [p<0.001], in wrist's spasticity [p<0.001], elbow's spasticity [p<0.008], palmar abduction of thumb spasticity [p<0.002], wrist's ROM [p<0.001], Palmar abduction of thumb ROM [p<0.001] and power grip [p<0.001]. The data did not show significant improvement on elbow's joint ROM. Information from present research shows that using static cock up c-bar splint for 2 months, 2 hours a day and 4 to 6 hours nightly, can be an effective method to improve power grip, hand function, thumb, wrist and elbow spasticity and range of motion of thumb and wrist of spastic diplegic CP children

[Comparing visual perceptual skills among 8 to 10-year-old strabismal/nonstrabismal cerebral palsy children]

Most aspects of development are dependent or guided by visual system. Defect of visual perception can cause secondary mental retardation in cerebral palsy children with normal intelligence. So, identifying the effective factors on visual perceptual skills and early treatment of them in these children can prevent learning disorders, slowing the treatment process and secondary problems. This study was designed to compare the effect of chronological age, strabismus and sex factors on visual perceptual quotient. In this cross-sectional study, 120 spastic cerebral palsy children with equal numbers of strabismal/non-strabismal disorder [age 8-10 years] were randomly selected from exceptional schools of educational departments and rehabilitation clinics of Tehran and were evaluated with the test of visual perceptual skill-revised [TVPS-R]. The results showed that the scores of visual perceptual quotient [P<0.0001] and visual perceptual age were significantly different among 8 to 10 years old children [P<0.0001]. There was no significant difference in visual perceptual quotient between two sexes [P=0.76] and that non-strabismal children had greater visual perceptual quotient compared to strabismal one [P<0.0001]. It can be concluded that age and strabismus have a significant effect on visual perceptual quotient, while this is not the case on sex

[Prediction of infant motor performance through performance evaluation of behavior]

Nowadays, comprehensive developmental assessment of infants is highly considered. But, some assessments, especially those which use more manipulations on high risk infants, can cause more stress on them. So sometimes it is necessary to use one group of developmental assessments to predict another developmental aspect. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between scores of behavioral scale and motor performance. In this cross-sectional study that was conducted in neonatal intensive care unit and pediatric clinic of Shahid Akbarabadi hospital, Tehran, 50 under 2 months low birth weight infants after met inclusion criteria were selected via convinence sampling method. The Test of Infant Motor Performance [TIMP] and the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale [NBAS] was used for assessing motor performance and behavioral performance respectively. The TIMP consist of elicited and observational parts. NBAS was consisted of habituation, social interaction, motor system, state organization, state regulation, autonomic system, smile, supplementary items, and reflex items. There was not any significant relationship between habituation part of NBAS and TIMP and also between autonomus system part of NBAS and observational part of TIMP [P<0.05]. Association between other variables was statistically significant [P>0.05]. Some items of behavioral assessment can be used to predict the motor performance in low birth weight infants

Unilateral neglect in children with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder

Visuo-spatial attention is an ability by which a portion of visuo-spatial space is selected for efficient processing of the information orienting from it. people show a normal bias in visuo-spatial attention. The direction of this bias in Attention deficit Hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] is different from normal people's bias. Some cases diagnosed with ADHD can show a significant inattention in one side of the space, which is called unilateral neglect. The aim of this study is to investigate on how the visou-spatial bias is in children with ADHD. In this cross-sectional study, fifteen children [7-10 years] were classified with ADHD-combined type [ADHD-C] and 15 children were matched for age, gender and IQ. Samples had been chosen through simple random sampling and they did Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children [WISC-IV] and also the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory for assessing whether they had inclusion criteria or not. For participants, visuo-spatial attention was assessed using the Star Cancellation Test. The results suggest that, there is a significant difference between ADHD-C groups performance and control group's performance in the Star Cancellation Test [p<0.05]. Unilateral neglect recognized in ADHD-C group and it was in the left half of the space. There is a significant difference in visuo-spatial attention between ADHD group and control group. Moreover, unilateral neglect which has seen in some ADHD-C cases should consider as an important item in this disorder. Further research in this area is needed

Effect of tactile-kinesthetic stimulation on weight gaining of low birth weight neonates

Low Birth Weight [2499 gr >/= Birth Weight >/= 1500gr] is one of the most serious health problems in children of the world today. LBW prevalence in our country has been reported 10%. Many researches show that LBW infants who stay alive, may suffer from long-term and short-term physical, mental and social problems 2 or 3 times more than appropriate birth weight infants. The present study was done to determine effect of tactile-kinesthetic stimulation [TKS] in weight gaining of LBW neonates. This research was a clinical trial study that 40 LBW neonates were randomly allocated into test [20] and control [20] groups. TKS was provided for three 15 minute periods per day for 10 consecutive days to the test group, with the massages consisting of moderate of pressure strokes in supine and prone positions and kinesthetic exercises consisting of flexion and extension of limbs. All measurements were taken before and after completion of the study with the same equipment and by the same person. Results indicated that weight gain in the intervention group was not significantly higher than that in the control group after the 10 days TKS. TKS is not an effective intervention in weight gaining of LBW neonates. Comparing this result with those of other researches, it seems to need more studies in this field