Behavior During Tethered Kicking in Infants With Periventricular Brain Injury.

PURPOSE: To describe behavior of children with periventricular brain injury (PBI) in a tethered-kicking intervention.

METHODS

Sixteen infants with PBI were randomly assigned to exercise or no-training in a longitudinal pilot study. Frequencies of leg movements and interlimb coordination were described from videos at 2 and 4 months' corrected age (CA).

RESULTS

Eight of the 13 children (62%) with longitudinal data increased the frequency of leg movements while tethered to a mobile between 2 and 4 months' CA. Movement frequency was correlated with scores on the Test of Infant Motor Performance, but no differences between experimental groups were found. Children with typical development at 12 months' CA increased the proportion of leg movements that were synchronous between 2 and 4 months, as did a child with cerebral palsy in the experimental group.

CONCLUSIONS

The tethered-kicking intervention facilitates movement in infants with PBI, but effects on development remain to be demonstrated.