Bimanual Training in Children With Hemiplegia (HABIT)

Teachers College, Columbia University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cerebral Palsy; Children; Hemiplegia

Treatments: Behavioral: HABIT

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01413594

11204 (Registry Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

A randomized control trial of bimanual training in children with hemiplegia. The protocols have been developed at Columbia University to be child friendly and draws upon our experience since 1997 with constraint-induced movement therapy in children with cerebral palsy. The investigators will test the hypothesis that bimanual training (HABIT) will result in improved hand function in children with hemiplegia.

Full description

A new treatment involving bimanual (Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy (HABIT). The protocols have been developed at Columbia University to be child friendly and draws upon our experience since 1997 with constraint-induced movement therapy in children with cerebral palsy. The investigators developed HABIT in 2004 as an alternative to constraint-therapy that avoids use of a restraint. The interventions are performed in a 15 day day-camp setting with several children and at least one therapist per child. The investigators have conducted 24 day camps to date since 2002, and are now collaborating with clinicians worldwide to expand our treatment availability. The aim is to promote the use of and improve the coordination of movement of both hands together. PARTICIPATION IS FREE. Please check out our website for more information: http://www.tc.edu/centers/cit/

Enrollment: 22 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 months to 16 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

*willingness to agree to intervention and testing procedures and travel to the University for participation and testing

Exclusion criteria

• health problems not associated with CP
• uncontrollable seizures
• visual problems that would interfere with carrying out the intervention or testing
• botulinum toxin therapy in the upper extremity musculature during the last six months or who wish to receive it within the period of study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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22 participants in 2 patient groups

HABIT

Experimental group

Description:

Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy (HABIT)

Treatment:

Behavioral: HABIT

Ongoing usual and customary rehabilitation care

No Intervention group

Description:

Subjects are tested over 6 months while receiving their ongoing usual and customary care schedule of physical and occupational therapy or following constraint-induced movement therapy received as usual and customary care independent of the study, and then are crossed-over to receive HABIT.