Effects of Action Observation Treatment on Bimanual Function in Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background and Aims: Characteristics of hand function in children with hemiplegia include poor grasping and reaching, slow speed, lack of fine motor skills, and spasticity. One intervention method to improve upper limb function in hemiplegic children is action observation therapy. According to the increase of home-based programs in rehabilitation of cerebral palsy, we investigated the effect of Action Observation on bimanual function of children with cerebral palsy aged 3 to 5 years in the form of home-based treatment.
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted as a randomized clinical trial in which 40 children with unilateral cerebral palsy aged 3 to 5 years were selected as available and randomly divided into two control and intervention groups. Bimanual function was measured with ABILHAND-Kids. Children in the intervention group received 5 half-hour sessions per week for 4 weeks of action observation treatment in the home environment by the parent and under the supervision of the researcher, and the control group received no other intervention in addition to the usual occupational therapy interventions (Bobath neurodevelopmental therapy and individual occupational therapy). The assessments were conducted in 3 stages (before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 2 weeks after the intervention). The Wilcoxon test and repeated measures were used to analyze the results.
Results: The results showed that after the intervention, the bimanual function of children in the intervention group increased significantly compared to the control group. (p<0.001) These results were sustained during the follow-up period.
Conclusion: The present study showed that the intervention based on action observation, especially in the home environment and under the supervision of parents, had positive and significant effects in improving the upper limb function of cerebral palsy hemiplegic children in the age range of 3 to 5 years.

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The Scientific Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
Volume 14, Issue 1
In Press
2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 16 January 2025
  • Revise Date: 07 April 2025
  • Accept Date: 09 April 2025
  • First Publish Date: 09 April 2025

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