Dual-task effects in children with neuromotor dysfunction: a systematic review.

Introduction: Based on the assumption that motor actions result from the interaction between cognitive, perceptual, mechanical and neurological mechanisms, neuromotor dysfunctions are expected to impair central coordination processes required to perform dual-tasks. The aim of the present work was to systematically review the literature concerning the effects of dual-task in the activities performed by children with neuromotor dysfunctions.

Evidence Acquisition: A tailored search strategy in relevant databases was conducted by two independent reviewers in August 2018 seeking for online articles published in English evaluating dual-task (motor-motor, cognitive-cognitive or cognitive-motor) effects on activities in subjects with neuromotor dysfunctions younger than 18 years.

Effect of Biomechanical Constraints on Neural Control of Head Stability in Children With Moderate to Severe Cerebral Palsy.

Background: External support has been viewed as an important biomechanical constraint for children with deficits in postural control. Nonlinear analysis of head stability may be helpful to confirm benefits of interaction between external trunk support and level of trunk control.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of biomechanical constraints (trunk support) on neural control of head stability during development of trunk control.

Impact of extrinsic factors on fine motor performance of children attending day care.

Objective: To assess the impact of extrinsic factors on fine motor performance of children aged two years old.

Methods: 73 children attending public and 21 private day care centers were assessed. Day care environment was evaluated using the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale - Revised Edition (ITERS-R), fine motor performance was assessed through the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development - III (BSITD-III), socioeconomic data, maternal education and time of start at the day care were collected through interviews.

Clinical tools designed to assess motor abilities in children with cerebral palsy.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to list the tools used by rehabilitation professionals to test motor abilities in children with cerebral palsy (CP), to determine if these tools have psychometric properties specifically measured for CP, and to identify the main characteristics of these tools.

Method: Web of Science, PEDro, PubMed/MEDLINE, Science Direct, and SciELO databases were searched to identify the tools. PubMed/MEDLINE was then searched to identify the studies assessing those tools' psychometric properties.

Motor performance of children with Down syndrome and typical development at 2 to 4 and 26 months.

Purpose: To compare gross motor performance of children with Down syndrome (DS) and typical development (TD) at 2 to 4 months (Phase I) and at 2 years of age (Phase II) and to investigate the relation between early motor performance and later outcome.

Methods: Seventeen infants (10 with TD and 7 with DS) were assessed in Phase I using the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP); 25 children were assessed in Phase II using the gross motor scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley-III); 10 participants were enrolled in both phases.

Results: TIMP and Bayley-III scores were lower in the DS group.

Postural control during sit-to-stand movement and its relationship with upright position in children with hemiplegic spastic cerebral palsy and in typically developing children.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare postural control in typically developing (TD) children and children with cerebral palsy (CP) during the sit-to-stand (STS) movement and to assess the relationship between static (during static standing position) and dynamic postural control (during STS movement) in both groups.

Method: The center of pressure (CoP) behavior of 23 TD children and 6 children with spastic hemiplegic CP (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] I and II) was assessed during STS movement performance and during static standing conditions with the use of a force plate. The data obtained from the force plate were used to calculate CoP variables: anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) amplitudes of CoP displacement and the area and velocity of CoP oscillation.

Use of sensory information during postural control in children with cerebral palsy: systematic review.

Impairments in sensory processing in children with cerebral palsy (CP) appear to be a cause of the postural control deficits they present and may affect function and participation in daily activities. Understanding the role of sensory processing in postural control can better inform their rehabilitation. Thus, the authors aimed to systematically review the literature concerning effects of sensory information manipulation on postural control in children with CP.

[Impact of a virtual reality-based intervention on motor performance and balance of a child with cerebral palsy: a case study].

Objective:: To verify the effect of an intervention protocol using virtual reality (VR) on the motor performance and balance of a child with cerebral palsy (CP).

Case Description:: To comply with the proposed objectives, a 7-year old child with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP), GMFCS level I, was submitted to a physiotherapy intervention protocol of 12 45-minute sessions, twice a week, using virtual reality-based therapy. The protocol used a commercially-available console (Kinect able to track and reproduce body movements on a screen.

Evaluation and characterization of manual reaching in children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review.

Manual reaching is used daily to perform manipulative tasks and activities of daily routine. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have limitations in this activity, with functional loss as a possible consequence. This review aimed to gather studies that evaluated and characterized manual reaching in children with CP, with the purpose of identifying the aspects analyzed, as well as review and discuss the results in the studies and its relationship to the children's level of functionality.

Pilates improves lower limbs strength and postural control during quite standing in a child with hemiparetic cerebral palsy: A case report study.

Objective: To verify the effect of Pilates exercises in a child with cerebral palsy (CP) with mild functional impairment.

Methods: We evaluated average peak torque of ankle and knee extensors/flexors using a Biodex System, using concentric active-assisted test. We also evaluated amplitude of anterior-posterior and of medial-lateral displacement of the CoP and area of oscillation during quite standing with a BERTEC platform.

Intrinsic properties and functional changes in spastic muscle after application of BTX-A in children with cerebral palsy: systematic review.

Objective: This article aimed to review the literature to verify the effect of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) on the intrinsic properties of spastic muscles and functionality in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: A literature search was conducted in the following databases: CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science and PubMed. Database searches were limited to the period from January 1993 to March 2014.

Relationship between static postural control and the level of functional abilities in children with cerebral palsy.

Background: Postural control deficits can impair functional performance in children with cerebral palsy (CP) in daily living activities.

Objective: To verify the relationship between standing static postural control and the functional ability level in children with CP.

Method: The postural control of 10 children with CP (gross motor function levels I and II) was evaluated during static standing on a force platform for 30 seconds.

Bimanual coordination in typical and atypical infants: movement initiation, object touching and grasping.

The development of bimanual actions reflects perceptual, motor and cognitive processes, as well as the functional connectivity between brain hemispheres. We investigated the development of uni- and bimanual actions in typically-developing (TD) infants and infants with Down syndrome (DS) while they reached for objects with varying sizes. Eight TD infants and seven infants with DS (ages 4-8 months) were tested at several stages of reaching experience.

Functional balance and gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy.

Aims: To compare scores of children with cerebral palsy (CP) at different levels of Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), using the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) and to assess whether it can be used to predict GMFCS levels in children with CP.

Methods: Fifty-eight children with CP levels I-V of GMFCS were assessed by PBS and grouped according to their GMFCS level.

Results: It was observed differences in PBS scores between GMFCS I and II and between GMFCS II and III groups.

Physical and functional evaluation in Marden-Walker syndrome: case report--review of literature.

Objective: To review literature concerning Marden-Walker syndrome (MWS) and describe physical-functional characteristics of a child with a suspected diagnosis of MWS.

Methods: Physical examination, laboratory and clinical tests were collected in a two-year-old boy. Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSITD-III) was applied to evaluate motor-cognitive development.

Functionality level and its relation to postural control during sitting-to-stand movement in children with cerebral palsy.

In this study we studied functional performance and functional balance in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and typically developing (TD) children. The relationship between these components and postural control during sit-to-stand movement (STS) was also investigated. Ten children with CP (GMFCS I and II) and 27 TD children, ages 5-12 years, were included in the study.

Comparison of motor and cognitive performance of children attending public and private day care centers.

Background: Given that environmental factors, such as the school environment, can influence child development, more attention should be paid to the development of children attending day care centers.

Objective: To determine whether there are differences in the gross motor, fine motor, or cognitive performances of children between 1 and 3 years-old of similar socioeconomic status attending public and private day care centers full time.

Method: Participants were divided into 2 groups, 1 of children attending public day care centers (69 children) and another of children attending private day care centers (47 children).

Sit-to-stand movement in children: a longitudinal study based on kinematics data.

Although the ability to stand from a seated posture is relevant for clinical practice, there are few studies investigating the process of acquisition and refinement of the motor components involved in sit-to-stand movement (STS) in children. Therefore, this longitudinal study aims to describe kinematic characteristics of the STS movement in children from 12 to 18 months, and also to investigate the relationship between changes in STS movement and childrens' daily-life mobility. Ten healthy children were evaluated at 12,13,14,15 and 18 months of age.

Quality and structure of variability in children during motor development: a systematic review.

Variability has been perceived to be beneficial to movement organization and execution, being essential to selection of movement patterns during motor development, to obtain flexible patterns and adaptability to different task demands. Human movement variability can be measured by linear and nonlinear tools. Recently, nonlinear techniques have been used successfully to give insight into motor skills control in children, and be able to discriminate pathologic and non-pathologic children.

Reliability of isokinetic evaluation in passive mode for knee flexors and extensors in healthy children.

Background: The isokinetic dynamometer has been considered the gold-standard measurement of muscle performance. However, the reliability for the passive mode in children has not been reported to date.

Objectives: The purpose was to evaluate the reliability of the isokinetic dynamometer in passive mode in children.

Functional strength training in child with cerebral palsy GMFCS IV: case report.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a functional strength training.

Case Report: A nine-year-old child with Cerebral Palsy (CP) classified as level IV according to Gross Motor Function Classification System participated in the study. Assessments were at baseline, five weeks and 10 weeks post-intervention.

Sit-to-stand movement in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: relationship with knee extensor torque and social participation.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sit-to-stand (STS) movement, knee extensor torque and social participation in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Seven spastic hemiplegic CP patients (8.0 ± 2.

Infants with Down syndrome and their interactions with objects: development of exploratory actions after reaching onset.

During infant development, objects and their functions are learned by means of active exploration. Factors that may influence exploration include reaching and grasping ability, object properties and the presence of developmental disorders. We assessed the development of exploratory actions in 16 typically-developing (TD) infants and 9 infants with Down syndrome (DS) after reaching onset.

Pilot study: Investigating the effects of Kinesio Taping® on functional activities in children with cerebral palsy.

Objective: To investigate the immediate effects of Kinesio Taping® (KT) on sit-to-stand (STS) movement, balance and dynamic postural control in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: Four children diagnosed with left hemiplegic CP level I by the Gross Motor Function Classification System were evaluated under conditions without taping as control condition (CC); and with KT as kinesio condition. A motion analysis system was used to measure total duration of STS movement and angular movements of each joint.

Assessment of postural control in children with cerebral palsy: a review.

This paper aimed to review studies that assessed postural control (PC) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and describe the methods used to investigate postural control in this population. It also intended to describe the performance of children with CP in postural control. An extensive database search was performed using the keywords: postural control, cerebral palsy, children, balance and functionality.