Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (mCIMT) is offered to children with unilateral cerebral palsy. The program protocol is based on the highest quality and most current research evidence (Hoare et al. 2013; Hoare et al. 2019).
The 8-week block mCIMT program includes the provision of individualised, once weekly, centre-based treatment sessions of 60 minutes duration. Parents / caregivers are provided with support and strategies to implement intensive home-based programs for 30 minutes (child less than 12 months) or 2 hours (child older than 12 months) per day for the duration of the program.
During the centre-based sessions and home program, a comfortable neoprene (wet suit material) glove will be worn on the dominant hand to facilitate intensive practice of activities using the more affected upper limb. Utilising games and targeted, age appropriate play, one-handed tasks will be carefully selected to provide sufficient challenge and successful outcomes when using the affected upper limb. In doing so, learning is facilitated by repetitive skills practice and the experience of using the hand in daily tasks.
References
Hoare, B. J., Imms, C., Villanueva, E., Rawicki, H. B., Matyas, T., & Carey, L. (2013). Intensive therapy following upper limb botulinum toxin A injection in young children with unilateral cerebral palsy: a randomized trial. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 55(3), 238–247.
Hoare, B. J., Wallen, M. A., Thorley, M. N., Jackman, M. L., Carey, L., & Imms, C. (2019). Constraint-induced movement therapy in children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 47(s103), 3–337.