Intraventricular baclofen for the treatment of pediatric spasticity in cerebral palsy: technique and outcomes.

Objective: Intraventricular baclofen (IVB) administration is used for the treatment of secondary dystonia associated with cerebral palsy (CP), but it has not been reported as a first-line infusion technique for spasticity. In this study, the authors report outcomes of patients with mixed or isolated spasticity treated with IVB administration.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of consecutive patients treated with IVB between 2019 and 2023.

Exploring the role of the rock climbing Treadwall as a novel therapy tool in physical rehabilitation.

Background: Rock climbing offers numerous health benefits, but accessibility and safety concerns limit its therapeutic use, especially for individuals with disabilities. No prior studies have explored the potential benefits of integrating the Treadwall, a rotating climbing wall with improved accessibility and safety, into rehabilitation protocols.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and feasibility of implementing a Treadwall climbing intervention as a novel therapy tool for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

General Health of Healthcare Professionals With Low Back Pain.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of morbidity in the healthcare profession. It is a complex problem of the biopsychosocial factors (BPS) effect, where processing mechanisms affect the experience of pain, function, participation in society and personal prosperity. Psychological factors are important predictors of poor outcomes because they can significantly influence pain management and coping.

Impact of Chorionicity in Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Preterm Twins.

Introduction Multifetal pregnancies, which account for 2-4% of births worldwide, have increased in recent years. Twin pregnancies carry a higher risk of preterm birth and associated neonatal morbimortality, with monochorionic twins considered at greater risk. This study investigates the influence of chorionicity on neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm twins.

A Combined Comprehensive Palliative and Rehabilitative Care Plan for a Child With Cerebral Palsy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neurological disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, and motor skills. Here, we present a case of an 11-year-old female patient who presented with tightness in both lower limbs, since birth, and delayed walking, accompanied by difficulty walking due to spasticity. She was diagnosed with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

Psychosocial and Economic Burden on Families of Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Correlation With Locomotor Severity.

Background:  Cerebral palsy (CP) is a condition that often has significant psychosocial and economic impacts on the caregivers of affected children.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the association between the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level and the psychosocial and economic impact on caregivers of children with CP.

Methodology: A hospital-based cross-sectional observational study was conducted on children with CP aged 2-14 years, admitted to the Inpatient Department (IPD) or attending the District Early Intervention Center (DEIC) for physiotherapy at a teaching hospital in Odisha, from December 2020 to November 2022.

Baricitinib Treatment in RNU7-1-Associated Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome in a South African Child: A Case Report.

Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) is a rare monogenic type I interferonopathy. Janus kinase (JAK) inhibition has emerged as a potential treatment for AGS. RNU7-1 is one of the most recently discovered genes for AGS, and the clinical effects of JAK inhibition in these patients have not been reported.

Cause-Specific Secular Trends and Prevention Measures of Post-Neonatally Acquired Cerebral Palsy in Victoria and Western Australia 1975-2014: A Population-Based Observational Study.

Aim: To describe the timing and causes of post-neonatally acquired cerebral palsy (PNN-CP) and map the implementation of relevant preventive strategies against cause-specific temporal trends in prevalence.

Methods: Data for a 1975-2014 birth cohort of children with PNN-CP (brain injury between 28 days and 2 years of age) were drawn from the Victorian and Western Australian CP Registers. Descriptive statistics were used to report causal events and timing.

Impact of body-height increase on gastrocnemius muscle stiffness in children with cerebral palsy: A one-year prospective cohort study.

Objective: To investigate whether the impacts of height increase on gastrocnemius muscle (GM) stiffness are greater in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) than in those with typical development (TD).

Design: This one-year cohort study enrolled children (CP, 23; TD, 23) who underwent two measurements conducted at entry and after one year. Lateral and medial GM-strain ratios representing muscle stiffness were obtained using elastography.

Contralateral oculomotor nerve palsy associated with PHACES syndrome.

A 13-month-old boy presented to the pediatric ophthalmology clinic at BC Children's Hospital for strabismus assessment. On examination he had a right facial hemangioma, left ptosis, and left exotropia and hypotropia. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography of his head demonstrated posterior cerebral artery tortuosity producing mild mass effect on the left oculomotor nerve.

Unusual Causes of Death Due to Constipation.

Constipation is found in individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism, and cerebral palsy. Although generally a benign condition, it may lead to life-threatening intestinal obstruction, with or without volvulus, or to stercoral ulceration with enteritis and/or perforation. Two unusual cases of lethal chronic constipation are reported to demonstrate other very rare fatal mechanisms that may occur.

Diagnostic accuracy of early neonatal MRI in predicting adverse motor outcomes in children born preterm: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To examine the diagnostic accuracy of Early structural and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (acquired at < 36 weeks postmenstrual age) to detect cerebral palsy (CP) or other adverse motor outcomes at or beyond 3 years corrected age in infants born preterm.

Method: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched the CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science databases for studies without language restrictions and a prospectively registered protocol up to October 2023. We extracted the study details, associations presented, and meta-analyses conducted with pooled sensitivity and specificity.

Telehealth in arts therapies for neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders: a scoping review.

Background: Arts therapies, encompassing art therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, and dance movement therapy with the broader practice of expressive arts therapies, have demonstrated positive outcomes in the treatment of neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders (NNDs). Integrating arts therapies into telehealth has become increasingly important to improve accessibility for people with mobility impairments or those living in remote areas. This study aims to map the existing body of literature to provide an in-depth overview of telehealth in arts therapies for individuals with NNDs.

Exoskeleton gait training on real-world terrain improves spatiotemporal performance in cerebral palsy.

Introduction: Walking is essential for daily life but poses a significant challenge for many individuals with neurological conditions like cerebral palsy (CP), which is the leading cause of childhood walking disability. Although lower-limb exoskeletons show promise in improving walking ability in laboratory and controlled overground settings, it remains unknown whether these benefits translate to real-world environments, where they could have the greatest impact.

Methods: This feasibility study evaluated whether an untethered ankle exoskeleton with an adaptable controller can improve spatiotemporal outcomes in eight individuals with CP after low-frequency exoskeleton-assisted gait training on real-world terrain.

Automating radiological measurements of the hip in children with cerebral palsy.

Aims: The aims of this study were to develop an automatic system capable of calculating four radiological measurements used in the diagnosis and monitoring of cerebral palsy (CP)-related hip disease, and to demonstrate that these measurements are sufficiently accurate to be used in clinical practice.

Methods: We developed a machine-learning system to automatically measure Reimer's migration percentage (RMP), acetabular index (ACI), head shaft angle (HSA), and neck shaft angle (NSA). The system automatically locates points around the femoral head and acetabulum on pelvic radiographs, and uses these to calculate measurements.

Retention of bimanual performance following hand arm bimanual intensive therapy in children with unilateral cerebral palsy: A six-month longitudinal study.

Hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy (HABIT) enhances upper extremity (UE) function and bimanual coordination in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP). Previous studies assessed immediate improvements in UE function using clinical and self-reported measures, which may not accurately reflect real-world UE performance and their long-term retention effects. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the retention of real-world bimanual performance gains over time following HABIT in children with UCP.

Effect of selective dorsal rhizotomy on bladder dysfunction in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

This study investigated the prevalence and severity of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in children with spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) and evaluated the effect of selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) in alleviating these symptoms. The study also explored the correlation between postoperative LUTS improvement and intraoperative electrophysiological findings. Prospective data were collected from a consecutive cohort of 247 children with SCP who underwent SDR and were retrospectively analyzed.

Genetics of Cerebral Palsy: Diagnosis, Differential Diagnosis, and Beyond.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in children, characterized by diverse clinical manifestations and often uncertain etiology, which has spurred increasing interest in genetic diagnostics. This review synthesizes findings from various studies to enhance understanding of CP's genetic underpinnings. The discussion is structured around five key areas: monogenic causes and copy number variants directly linked to CP, differential genetic disorders including atypical CP and mimics, ambiguous genetic influences, co-occurrence with other neurodevelopmental disorders, and polygenic risk factors.

Research Progress on the Role of the Interleukin Family in the Pathogenesis of Cerebral Palsy in Children.

Cerebral palsy (CP), a common neurological disorder in children, remains a significant research focus. The interleukin (IL) family, pivotal mediators in inflammatory responses, shows increased expression in various neuroinflammatory diseases, markedly influencing their onset and progression. Elevated IL levels in the brains of children with CP, in contrast to healthy peers, reflect similar elevations in neurological conditions linked to CP, indicating a strong association between CP and the IL family.

Frequency, characteristics, and immunological accompaniments of ataxia in anti-NMDAR antibody-associated encephalitis.

Introduction: Very rarely, adult NMDAR antibody-associated encephalitis (NMDAR-E) leads to persistent cerebellar atrophy and ataxia. Transient cerebellar ataxia is common in pediatric NMDAR-E. Immune-mediated cerebellar ataxia may be associated with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), aquaporin-4 (AQP-4), kelch-like family member 11 (KLHL11), and glutamate kainate receptor subunit 2 (GluK2) antibodies, all of which may co-occur in NMDAR-E.

Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Infant Motor Activity Log in infants with upper extremity functional asymmetry: how often and how well?

Background/aim: Functional asymmetry in the upper extremities may occur in infants with neuromotor problems due to neurodevelopmental or musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Infant Motor Activity Log (IMAL-T), which assesses the frequency (how often) and quality (how well) of the affected arm usage during activities in infants with functional asymmetry in the upper extremities.

Materials And Methods: The IMAL-T was administered face-to-face to the parents of 102 infants [60 infants at high risk of developing cerebral palsy (CP) and 42 infants with brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI)], aged 6-24 months, with functional asymmetry in the upper extremities.

Frame Running as a community-based exercise option for young people with moderate-to-severe walking impairments: a feasibility study.

Frame Running is an adapted community-based exercise option for people with moderate-to-severe walking impairments. This mixed-methods study aimed to examine the feasibility of 1) community-based Frame Running by young people with moderate-to-severe walking impairments and 2) conducting future studies on the impact of Frame Running on functional mobility and cardiometabolic disease risk factors. Weekly training sessions and data collection occurred in two sites.

Impact of Virtual Reality Task-Oriented Training on Upper Extremity Motor Function in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Background: This study aims to investigate the effect of a newly developed virtual reality task-oriented training (VR-TOT) video game on upper extremity fine motor function compared with conventional occupational therapy through leap motion in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 30 children with spastic hemiplegic CP aged six to 10 years were included and randomly allocated into two groups. During six weeks, 15 patients in the intervention group received VR_TOT-based video game in addition to conventional occupational therapy, whereas 15 patients in the control group received only conventional occupational therapy.