Functional intermuscular reduction in spasticity for people with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Eighty-five percent of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) incur gait impairments debilitating enough to significantly impact their function.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if a novel combination of intermuscular electrical stimulation, followed by functional electrical stimulation combined with supported bodyweight treadmill training, would improve gait, decrease spasticity and fatigue, and improve muscle strength.

Methods: Using a pre-post experimental design, we implemented this combination six-week protocol in 16 individuals with MS.

Spectra of infant EEG within the first year of life: A pilot study.

Rhythmic activities in electroencephalography (EEG) have been extensively studied in adults and classic rhythms are found to correlate with specific human brain functions. However, less has been investigated in infant EEG, and EEG rhythms in infants at early ages have not been well characterized in terms of their frequency ranges. In the present pilot study, we investigated rhythmic activities in infant EEG recorded weekly from 4-8 months using high-density EEG sensor nets.

Concurrent validity of the School Outcomes Measure (SOM) and Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) in preschool-age children.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the concurrent validity of the School Outcomes Measure (SOM) compared with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) in preschool-age children. This study also examined the consistency of children's motor performance across the home and school settings.

Methods: Five school-based physical therapists collected data on 44 preschool-age children with physical or combined physical and cognitive disability.

A model of environmental correlates of adolescent obesity in the United States.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test a conceptual model of proximal (home) and distal (neighborhood) environmental correlates of adolescent obesity.

Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study, using the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health, of 39,542 children aged 11-17 years. Structural equation modeling was used to test the fit of the model, identify direct and indirect effects of the proximal and distal environmental correlates, and determine reliabilities for latent constructs (Access to Physical Activity, Neighborhood Conditions, Social Capital Home Sedentary Behavior, and Physical Activity).

Early childrearing practices and their relationship to academic performance in Mexican American children.

Purpose: To examine whether parenting behaviors and childrearing practices in the first 3 years of life among Mexican American (MA) families predict children's academic performance at school age.

Methods: Thirty-six children were assessed using the Parent Behavior Checklist, Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale, Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory, and Bayley Scales of Infant Development II. Academic performance was measured with the Illinois Standards Achievement Test during third grade.

A path model for evaluating dosing parameters for children with cerebral palsy.

Dosing of pediatric rehabilitation services for children with cerebral palsy (CP) has been identified as a national priority. Establishing dosing parameters for pediatric physical therapy interventions is critical for informing clinical decision making, health policy, and guidelines for reimbursement. The purpose of this perspective article is to describe a path model for evaluating dosing parameters of interventions for children with CP.

Promotion of physical fitness and prevention of secondary conditions for children with cerebral palsy: section on pediatrics research summit proceedings.

Inadequate physical fitness is a major problem affecting the function and health of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Lack of optimal physical activity may contribute to the development of secondary conditions associated with CP such as chronic pain, fatigue, and osteoporosis. The purpose of this article is to highlight the content and recommendations of a Pediatrics Research Summit developed to foster collaborative research in this area.

Predicting motor outcome at preschool age for infants tested at 7, 30, 60, and 90 days after term age using the Test of Infant Motor Performance.

Background And Purpose: Accurate and diagnostic measures are central to early identification and intervention with infants who are at risk for developmental delays or disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine (1) the ability of infants' Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) scores at 7, 30, 60 and 90 days after term age to predict motor development at preschool age and (2) the contribution of the home environment and medical risk to the prediction.

Subjects And Methods: Sixty-one children from an original cohort of 90 infants who were assessed weekly with the TIMP, between 34 weeks gestational age and 4 months after term age, participated in this follow-up study.

Childrearing practices and developmental expectations for Mexican-American mothers and the developmental status of their infants.

Background And Purpose: The impact of parent education programs on early intervention programs is not thought to be uniform among children from majority and minority populations. This study examined the relationship between maternal childrearing practices and behaviors and the developmental status of Mexican-American infants.

Subjects: Participants were 62 Mexican-American mother-infant pairs.

Predictive validity of the test of infant motor performance as measured by the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency at school age.

Background And Purpose: As the survival rate of infants who are born prematurely increases, the need for accuracy in early identification and prediction of developmental outcome in these infants is imperative. This study examined the predictive validity of the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) and the relationship between perinatal risk and motor performance in children who are of school age.

Subjects And Methods: A stratified, random sample of 35 children was selected from subjects who had been examined using the TIMP and the Problem-Oriented Perinatal Risk Assessment System (POPRAS).

Validity of the Test of Infant Motor Performance for prediction of 6-, 9- and 12-month scores on the Alberta Infant Motor Scale.

The Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) is a test of functional movement in infants from 32 weeks' post-conceptional age to 4 months postterm. The purpose of this study was to assess in 96 infants (44 females, 52 males) with varying risk, the relation between measures on the TIMP at 7, 30, 60, and 90 days after term age and percentile ranks (PR) on the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). Correlation between scores on the TIMP and the AIMS was highest for TIMP tests at 90 days and AIMS testing at 6 months (r=0.