ABSTRACT
Objective: To assess and evaluate the change in functional skills among children with cerebral palsy (CP) who participated in an intensified habilitation program. Methods: In this prospective longitudinal study, a cohort of 39 preschool children (2-5 years) with cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I-V) together with their parents participated in an intensified multidimensional habilitation program for 1 year. Activities strengthening functional skills were among the main interventions. The children were evaluated with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory before and after the program period. Results: Only children at GMFCS levels I-II showed improvements in mobility and social function on norm-referenced scales. After the intervention period, these children scored similar to the mean for typically developing children of the same age on the social function domain. Conclusions: Functional skills among preschool children with CP, GMFCS levels I-II, seems strengthened after participation in an intensified habilitation program.
Subject(s)
Cerebral Palsy/diagnosis , Cerebral Palsy/rehabilitation , Early Intervention, Educational/methods , Motor Skills , Child, Preschool , Cohort Studies , Disability Evaluation , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Mobility Limitation , Prospective Studies , Social BehaviorABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of executive functioning among preschool children with cerebral palsy (CP) and evaluate effects of the Program Intensified habilitation (PIH). METHODS: In this non-randomized, prospective study, 15 preschool children with CP, and their parents attended the PIH for a 1-year period. Executive functions were evaluated using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive functions-Preschool version (BRIEF-P), filled out by parents and preschool teachers. RESULTS: Before PIH, scores of executive function difficulties were close to the general population mean. After PIH, fathers and preschool teachers reported reduced levels of executive difficulties on, respectively, the Emergent Metacognition Index and the Flexibility Index on the BRIEF-P. Mothers reported no changes. CONCLUSION: The children in our sample showed age-appropriate levels of executive functions before attending PIH. Some aspects of executive skills difficulties were reduced after PIH. Using BRIEF-P contributed to the differentiation of cognitive strengths and weaknesses among the children.
