Therapeutic Dance Intervention for Children With Cerebral Palsy

Shlomit Aizik

Status

Completed

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy

Treatments

Other: Therapeutic Dance

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT03681171

2016-2682

Details and patient eligibility

About

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have motor impairments that make it challenging for them to participate in standard physical activity (PA) programs. There is a need to evaluate adapted PA programs for this population. Dance can promote coordination, posture, muscle strength, motor learning, and executive functioning. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and the effects of a new therapeutic ballet intervention specifically designed for children with CP on physiological and executive functions outcomes.

Full description

8 children with CP (9-14y/o; 75% female) participated in a six-week therapeutic ballet program. Participants had body composition (DXA), muscle strength (hand-grip dynamometer), habitual physical activity, gait and selective motor control functions, and executive function tasks before and after the intervention. Follow-up assessments of habitual physical activity, gait and executive functions were completed four to five week post-intervention.

Enrollment

9 patients

Sex

All

Ages

9 to 15 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Cerebral palsy spastic diplegia and/or hemiplegia
Absence of health problems that would preclude participation in exercise
Male or female age 9 - 15 years inclusive at the time of consent
Minimum level of intellectual functioning (e.g., as determined by an IQ score of 80 or above or other education placement and testing indicating sufficient understanding)
Ability to complete study measures at the assessment
Ability to participate in dance classes conducted in English
Interest in learning ballet
Intact vision
Intact hearing
Able to ambulate independently in the community with or without a device
Intact proprioception in lower extremities
Able to complete assessment measures and consents in English
Referral from the child's pediatrician or other physician indicating that the child is physically able to participate in an exercise intervention

Exclusion criteria

Children with a current diagnosis of severe Major Depressive Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Epilepsy
Autism
Other major medical conditions that prohibit full participation and children with severe developmental disorders (e.g., mental retardation, severe autism) or with physical impairments that prohibit full participation were excluded from the study.