Sit-to-stand (STS) movement is widely performed in daily life and an important pre requisite for acquisition of functional abilities. However, STS is a biomechanical demanding task which requires high levels of neuromuscular coordination, muscle strength and postural control. As children with cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit a series of impairments in…

Nick is the author's first-born child. He was born healthy in 1993. Within days, however, there would be medical complications resulting in brain damage, seizures, medical issues, a diagnosis of cerebral palsy at four months of age, and later, a diagnosis of bi-lateral progressive hearing loss at eight years of age. Nick's parents have been told…

The author shares the story of Megan Fry of The Woodlands, Texas, a pioneer among young artists with disabilities. Megan wanted to enter the Montgomery County Beatification Association's (MCBA) 2010 Arbor Day poster contest, but the rules prohibited computer-based art. That posed a dilemma because cerebral palsy prevents Megan from speaking and…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of frequency of knowledge of results (KR) on the learning of dart in individuals with cerebral palsy type I. Twenty-four individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) between the ages of 5 and 17 were chosen for this study. They were put into 3 homogenous groups according to their records after 20…

Established a half-century ago, Riverbrook Residence, home to 23 women with developmental disabilities, is the oldest facility of its kind in New England, and perhaps in the country. Indeed, Riverbrook's executive director Joan Burkhard's vision, together with the care and dedication of the staff and the women's families, have created a rare and…

Aim: The aim of this study was to provide reference values of anaerobic performance and agility in a group of children and adolescents with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Method: A total of 300 children (184 males, 116 females) with spastic CP were recruited from 26 rehabilitation centres in six different countries. Of these, 215 were classified at…

Aim: To determine the neuromuscular outcomes of an eccentric strength-training programme for children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). Method: In this randomised, parallel-group trial with waiting control, 14 participants with CP (six males, eight females; mean age 11y, SD 2y range 9-15y), diagnosed with upper-limb spasticity were…

Aim: To establish a prevalence estimate for drooling and explore factors associated with drooling in a population sample of children with cerebral palsy (CP) aged 7 to 14 years living in Victoria, Australia. Method: A self-report questionnaire was used to collect data on drooling from parents of children born between 1996 and 2001, and registered…

Background: Interaction between caregivers and children with severe impairments is closely related to the demands of daily activities. This study examines the relationship between interaction and the routine mealtime activity at home. Method: Patterns of interaction between a child (aged 6 years and 6 months) with severe speech and physical…

Aim: To examine the evidence of the effectiveness of different feeding interventions for children with cerebral palsy. Methods: A search of 12 electronic databases identified all relevant studies. For each study, the quality of the methods was assessed according to the study design. A total of 33 articles were retrieved, and 21 studies were…

Aim: To compare function and gait in a group of children older than most children who received selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) with age- and function-matched peers who received either orthopedic surgery or no surgical intervention. Method: A retrospective study examined ambulatory children with diplegic cerebral palsy, aged between 10 years and…

This study explored how children with cerebral palsy describe competent performance in everyday activities and sought to better understand the processes by which the children developed competence. Five children with cerebral palsy aged six to 17 years participated in a three-step procedure that included two observations, one semi-structured…

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of behavior problems among people with administratively defined intellectual disability (ID) and identify possible risk markers for behavior problems using the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI). Sixty-two percent of the ID population (n = 915) had a behavior problem (self-injurious,…

In India, Acts and legislations are in place for persons with mental retardation. Three major Acts namely Rehabilitation Council of India Act (1992), Persons with Disabilities (Equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) Act (1995) and National Trust for welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental retardation and…

Children diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) often show difficulties in arithmetic compared to their typically developing peers. The present study explores whether cognitive and motor variables are related to arithmetic performance of a large group of primary school children with CP. More specifically, the relative influence of non-verbal…