Individuals with CP often struggle to develop motor skills, especially in their arms. Helping those individuals develop these skills will encourage them to enjoy life with their friends and families. This grant examines a new therapy approach to train these skills in a tele-health setting.

Initial Observations

• Children with bilateral CP often have limited hand skills, including hand-eye coordination, that restrict participation in daily life.
• Action Observation Training (AOT) is a new rehab approach used for children with one-sided CP to help them strengthen their arms and hands.
• With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, there is an increased need to have rehab programs that can happen in home.

Core Questions

• What AOT activities are helpful for children with CP?
• Will AOT help children with two-sided CP improve their hand & arm function?
• Can AOT be performed via telehealth programs?

Post Research Results

The research was published in one publication and the results were instrumental in securing an additional research grant.

Research Team

• Dr. Giuseppina Sgandurra MD PhD, Dr. Roslyn Boyd PHD MSc (PT), Andrea Burgess BScOT PGrand Clin Epi PhD Scholar, Dr Giovanni Cioni MD, Dr. Elena Beani Pet PT, PhD