Upper limb training for young children with unilateral cerebral palsy using video coaching: An explorative retrospective clinical study

Cerebral palsy is caused by a brain injury around birth and is the most common physical disability in children, affecting their movement. Children with one side of the body affected often use that side less, making daily activities harder. Training the affected arm in the first 2 years of life is important because the brain is still very adaptable. In our study, we evaluated a home-based training program for young children with cerebral palsy, with blocks of 8 weeks of therapy using video coaching for parents. We looked at how well the first training block improved the use of the affected arm and hand. We also looked at whether the effects lasted after an 8-week break and whether a second training block further improved hand use. Lastly, we looked at how well families continued to train. We found an improvement of the use of the affected hand after the first training block. Children older than 18 months with poorer hand use at the start made more progress, while especially children younger than 18 months demonstrated further improvement after the second training block. Most parents and children were able to continue the training program using video coaching. Early upper limb home-based training with video coaching can help young children with cerebral palsy to improve the use of their affected arm and hand. Video coaching seems effective to motivate parents to continue with the program. Individual results varied. There is a need for larger studies.