Determining if a customised "in-home" computer gaming system can improve sensory function in the hands of children with cerebral palsy.

Assessing the prevalence of tactile sensory agnosia in the hands of children with cerebral palsy aged 5 to 15 years old, and investigating if a customised "in-home" computer gaming system can improve sensory function for those children who are known to have a sensory deficit compared to healthy, aged matched typically developing children.

Status

Completed

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12612000186853

Enrollment

Registered

2012-02-10

Start date

2013-05-16

Completion date

2014-07-28

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

This study aims to determine if children with cerebral palsy (CP) who have a known tactile sensory deficiency in their hands can have that sense of touch improved, hence improving their overall hand and arm function. The intervention uses a specialised joystick to play a range of custom-made computer games that are aimed at captivating the interest and motivation of children with CP while providing tactile feedback to their hands to increase the realism and sense of game-play. Our hypothesis for this project is that tactile sensory perception can be improved in children with CP through a computer-based program that couples a fun, engaging and motivational activity with an opportunity to experience a range of appropriate sensory inputs.

Interventions

The intervention is a customised computer gaming system, with a specialised joystick to enable and maximise access for children with cerebral palsy. The interactive gaming system provides haptic feedback to the user - the haptic feature can be enabled or disabled, depending on the group the child is randomised into. Children are asked to use the system for 1 hour per day, 7 days a week, for 6 weeks.

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Treatment

Masking

Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

5 Years to 15 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Children with a confirmed diagnosis of cerebral palsy who are aged 5-15 years, with no previous hand surgery, who have not received botulinum toxin A in the last 3 months, and who have the ability to follow and respond to verbal instructions.

Exclusion criteria

Children with a neurological condition other than cerebral palsy; children who are younger than 5 years of age or older than 15 years of age; children who have had hand surgery; children who have received botulinum toxin A within 3 months of stage 1 or within 3 months of stage 2; children who cannot follow and/or respond to verbal instructions.

Outcome results