An intensive motor skills treatment program for children with cerebral palsy

Issue title: Spina Bifida, Part 2

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Oberg, Wende | Grams, Barbara | Gooch, Judith

Affiliations: Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

Note: [] Address for correspondence: Judith Gooch, Primary Children's Hospital, 100 North Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84113, USA. Tel.: +1 801 662 4900; E-mail: judith.gooch@intermountainmail.org

Abstract: This article describes the development and efficacy of the Intensive Motor Skills Program conducted at Primary Children's Medical Center. The program was designed for children with cerebral palsy who have undergone a medical procedure and were determined to need a "jumpstart" to gain functional skills. Data was collected from parent interviews that determine desired outcomes during the two-week program. Parent ratings of performance and satisfaction were then analyzed to determine parents' perceptions of the program. Information was also collected and analyzed from therapists' short-term objectives and parent satisfaction surveys. The results indicated that parents perceived positive changes in their children's performance on goals addressed during the program. Positive changes in parents' satisfaction with how their child performed on the defined goals were also noted. Therapists documented that children in the program required decreasing levels of assistance on short-term objectives as the program progressed.

DOI: 10.3233/PRM-2009-0064

Journal: Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 75-82, 2009