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ERIC Number: EJ850580
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Apr
Pages: 4
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0012-1622
EISSN: N/A
Intermittent versus Continuous Physiotherapy in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Christiansen, Annette Sandahl; Lange, Christa
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, v50 n4 p290-293 Apr 2008
The aim of this study was to compare the effect of the delivery of the same amount of intermittent versus continuous physiotherapy given to children with cerebral palsy (CP). This was organized either in an intermittent regime four times a week for 4 weeks alternating with a 6-week treatment pause, or a continuous once or twice a week regime, both for a total of 30 weeks. Therapy was administered according to generally accepted physiotherapeutic principles. A prospective, randomized controlled design was used. Twenty-five children (16 males, nine females; median age 3y, range 1y-8y 1mo) participated. The children were stratified by age and function level (all levels represented) using the Gross Motor Function Classification System and assigned to continuous or intermittent treatment. The Gross Motor Function Measure 66 (GMFM-66) was used as the outcome measure before and after intervention. Statistical analysis revealed that both groups increased their GMFM scores during intervention (intermittent group p=0.028; continuous group p=0.038), while there was no significant difference comparing delta scores between groups (p=0.81). Compliance was significantly higher in the intermittent group (p=0.005), but there was no association between GMFM score and compliance. The study shows that organizing physiotherapy in two markedly different ways yields identical outcome measures for children with CP.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A