Therapeutic effects of electrical stimulation on manual function of children with cerebral palsy: evaluation of two cases.

PURPOSE: To investigate changes in hand function associated with electrical stimulation for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

METHOD: An ABCA single-subject design, replicated in two children, was used in this study. Each baseline (phase A) lasted 4 weeks. Intervention consisted of electrical stimulation of wrist extensors (phase B) and of wrist extensors and flexors (phase C) for 15 minutes three times a week. Intervention phases also lasted 4 weeks. Active wrist extension range of movement and three timed manual tasks were tested two times a week every week. Data analysis included the Celeration Line and Two Standard Deviation Band methods in addition to visual analysis.

RESULTS

Significant performance gains were observed for both children, especially in phase C, when both extensors and flexors were stimulated. After intervention withdrawal, significant performance decreases were observed on most analysed variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed performance changes seem to be associated with the presence of intervention and suggest that electrical stimulation can be a useful adjunct to improve hand function of children with cerebral palsy.