Effect of Positioning on Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex in Cerebral Palsy: A Single-centre Study from Lahore.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of positioning on tonic labyrinthine reflex in children with cerebral palsy.

Methods: The quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Institute of Psychological Services and Physical Rehabilitation, Lahore, from July 2016 to June 2017, and comprised children with spastic and athetoid cerebral palsy aged six months to three years. Gross Motor Functional Classification Scale level V was taken as baseline measure. Data was obtained and functional motor abilities were assessed by Motor Function Measure-20 Scale. Participants received intervention in the form of positioning in hammock for 10 hours, in-between sitting in cerebral palsy chair with harness along with sensory motor integration techniques. The readings were compared before the intervention and after the treatment strategies. SPSS 21 was used to analyse the data.

Results: Of the 30 subjects, 18(60%) were boys, and 7(23%) had athetoid cerebral palsy. The overall mean age was 18.13±7.33 months. Motor function variables significantly improved post-intervention (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Positioning provided significant improvement and positive effect in tonic labyrinthine reflex of spastic and athetoid cerebral palsy children.