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In this section, clinicians and families can find useful information about existing scientific research on early interventions for cerebral palsy (CP).

  • For clinicians: You will find a list of outcomes examined in the selected studies for a particular type and severity of CP, whether the intervention was more effective, as effective. or less effective than the comparison intervention (e.g., usual care), and the level of evidence. Find out more about the levels of evidence here.
    • More effective: Intervention shown to be more effective than comparison.
    • As effective: Intervention shown to be as effective as the comparison.
    • Less effective: Intervention shown to be less effective than comparison.
  • For families: You will find answers to typical questions about existing interventions available for different types and severities of CP.

 


 

Recommended Interventions 🟩

Interventions that:

  1. Follow the three principles of the Interventional Clinical Practice Guideline (Morgan, C., Fetters, L., Adde, L., Badawi, N., Bancale, A., Boyd, R. N., … & Novak, I. (2021). Early intervention for children aged 0 to 2 years with or at high risk of cerebral palsy: international clinical practice guideline based on systematic reviews. JAMA pediatrics, 175(8), 846-858):
    1. Child-initiated movement
    2. Targeted training activities
    3. Task-specific and context-specific activities
  2. Have strong to moderate level of evidence

Potential Interventions 🟧

Interventions that:

  1. Follow the three principles of the Interventional Clinical Practice Guideline
  2. Have limited level of evidence. They show potential and may have preliminary research support but lack strong, conclusive evidence.

Unsupported Interventions 🟥

Interventions that do not follow the three principles of the Interventional Clinical Practice Guideline.

 

Acupuncture

CP type: Spastic
CP severity: GMFCS level I-III
Evidence level: Moderate
Effectiveness: As effective
Type: Unsupported Intervention

Conductive Education

CP type: Unilateral, bilateral, dyskinetic and/or ataxic
CP severity: GMFCS level I-V
Evidence level: Moderate
Effectiveness: More effective
Type: Recommended Intervention

Deep Friction Massage (DFM)

CP type: Spastic diplegia
Evidence level: Moderate
Effectiveness: As effective
Type: Unsupported Intervention

Early Vibration Therapy

CP type: All
CP severity: GMFCS Level II-IV
Evidence level: Moderate
Effectiveness: As effective
Type: Unsupported Intervention

Electrical Stimulation

CP type: Spastic diplegia, oropharyngeal dysphagia and/or hemiplegia
CP severity: GMFCS level I-V
Evidence level: Moderate
Effectiveness: More effective
Type: Recommended Intervention

Hippotherapy

CP type: Spastic, dyskinetic, and/or ataxic
CP severity: GMFCS levels I-IV
Evidence level: Moderate
Effectiveness: More effective
Type: Recommended Intervention

Occupational Performance Therapy

CP type: Unilateral, bilateral, spastic, dyskinetic and/or ataxic
CP severity: GMFCS level I-IV
Evidence level: Strong
Effectiveness: As effective
Type: Recommended Intervention

Oral Sensorimotor Stimulation

CP type: Infants with spastic quadriplegic CP
CP severity: GMFCS level IV, V
Evidence level: Limited
Effectiveness: More effective
Type: Potential Intervention

Qigong Massage

CP type: All
Evidence level: Limited
Effectiveness: As effective
Type: Unsupported Intervention

Small Step Program

CP type: Undiagnosed high risk
CP severity: GMFCS level I-V
Evidence level: Moderate
Effectiveness: More effective
Type: Recommended Intervention

Treadmill Training

CP type: Undiagnosed preterm infants with periventricular injury and/or hypotonia/spastic CP
CP severity: GMFCS level I, II, IV, V
Evidence level: Moderate
Effectiveness: More effective
Type: Recommended Intervention

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