The goal-oriented collaborative approach with postural management strategies intervention via telehealth for children with non-ambulant cerebral palsy: Feasibility randomized clinical trial protocol.
A new telehealth parent-coaching protocol for postural care in non-ambulant CP toddlers is on the way—steal the methods once feasibility drops.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Christovão et al. (2024) wrote a plan for a future trial. They will test telehealth coaching for parents of toddlers with non-ambulant cerebral palsy.
The team will teach caregivers how to place and move the child so the head, trunk, and hips stay in good alignment. All visits happen on-screen.
What they found
This paper is only the plan. No kids have been enrolled yet, so there are no results to share.
The authors will first check if families can finish the sessions and if the video calls run smoothly.
How this fits with other research
Dimitropoulos et al. (2017) already showed that six-week telehealth play sessions are doable for kids with Prader-Willi syndrome. Saraiva’s team copies that remote model but swaps play for postural care.
Schlebusch et al. (2024) ran a three-session ACT program for South African caregivers and saw better parent mood. Both studies keep the parent, not the therapist, in the driver’s seat.
Dudley et al. (2019) found that free floor-play time does not predict motor scores in non-ambulant toddlers. Saraiva’s coached positioning may add the structure that natural play lacks.
Why it matters
If the trial shows the calls work, you can borrow the script and coach parents from anywhere. No travel van, no waiting list—just a laptop, a mat, and clear goals for head and trunk control. Watch for their feasibility numbers; they may give you a ready-made kit for your own remote CP families.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
INTRODUCTION: Children with non-ambulant Cerebral Palsy (CP), have limitations in terms of self-mobility and require the use of assistive technology with extensive adaptations. However, purchasing assistive technology equipment is expensive and difficult to access in low- and middle-income countries, like Brazil. Guidelines recommend a postural management program to children with CP and emphasize the need for high doses of practice to achieve functional goals. Furthermore, collaborative practices are recommended, with active parental participation in the intervention. AIMS: This study describes a protocol for assessing the feasibility of a future randomized clinical trial using a goal-oriented collaborative approach with postural management strategies via telehealth for non-ambulant children with CP. METHODS: Eighteen children (1-5 years) with CP and their families will be randomized into two groups for 12 weeks: (A) goal-oriented collaborative approach with postural management strategies intervention via telehealth associated with conventional physical therapy or (B) conventional physical therapy. Feasibility measures will be verified, and outcomes will include parents' perceptions of performance and satisfaction, gross motor function, postural control, goal achievement and participation at home, preschool, and community. IMPLICATIONS: The findings will inform the planning and preparation of a future randomized clinical trial of interventions for non-ambulant CP children via telehealth.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2024 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104869