Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Delay, Infant Development
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of Sitting Together And Reaching To Play (START-Play), an intervention designed to target sitting, reaching, and motor-based problem solving to improve development and readiness to learn in infants with motor delays or dysfunction. There is limited research examining the efficacy of early physical intervention on infants with neuromotor dysfunction. In addition, most early motor interventions have not been directly linked to learning, despite the research demonstrating an association between motor activity and cognitive skills. START-Play specifically targets motor skills that lead to greater physical exploration, which has been associated with improved problem solving and global development. A randomized controlled trial of START-Play will be conducted across four states to investigate the impact of the intervention on changes over time in sitting and reaching, subsequent changes in global cognitive development, and the mediating influences of motor skill changes and problem solving. The research team will conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of START-Play on motor development, motor problem solving, global development including cognitive problem solving of infants with neuromotor delay and dysfunction. Infants will experience either the intervention or services as usual for 3 months, with following testing at three time points up until 9 months post intervention. The researchers will determine whether the intervention leads to improved sitting and reaching, which leads to improved motor-based problem solving, which leads to improved global development and problem solving.
Detailed description
Setting: The research will take place in the homes of infants and their families in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington, and Virginia. Sample: There will be approximately 140 infants with neuromotor disorders completing participation in this study, beginning at the age the age of 7 to 16 months, as well as their families and interventionists. Infants will have gross motor delays but be able to sit propped up for at least 3 seconds when they are recruited for participation. Intervention: Sitting Together And Reaching To Play (START-Play) is an intervention for infants with motor dysfunction or delay in which physical therapists visit the child's home to target work on siting, reaching, and problem solving. The therapist visits the home twice weekly for 3 months. During these visits, therapists and families work together to provide intensive, individualized, daily activities to advance reaching and sitting through small increments of challenge and support for these skills, which then become the building blocks for motor-based problem solving. More specifically, the intervention focuses on self-initiated, goal-directed movements to build orientation and attention to objects, while learning basic relationships of cause and effect. Infants and families in the intervention group will receive this intervention in addition to their usual early intervention services. Research Design and Methods: This study will use a randomized controlled trial in which infants and their families are randomly assigned to the intervention group (START-Play in addition to usual services) or control group (usual early intervention services), stratified by severity of neuromotor disorder. There will be six measurement sessions during the 12-week intervention period, following by assessments during 1-, 3-, and 9-month follow-up visits. The study aims to determine the efficacy of the intervention on sitting and reaching (proximal outcomes) and motor-based problem solving skills (longer-term proximal outcome), which is hypothesized to serve as mediators to the more distal outcomes of global cognitive development and readiness to learn. The investigators will also explore fidelity of implementation to identify conditions that support fidelity and outcomes, as well as identify other moderating factors related to the child (severity of disorder, health, age, cognitive skill at entry), family (socioeconomic status, home environment), or services (fidelity of implementation, other services provided to child) to explore change over time. Control Condition: Infants and their families in the control condition will continue to receive their regular Part C early intervention services. Key Measures: Primary outcome measures in the study include the Gross Motor Function Measure and an observational measure of toy contacts for sitting and reaching, and the Individual and Growth Development Indicators (Early Problem Solving Indicator) and Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development -Third Edition for problem solving and global development. Secondary measures include additional measures of postural control and reaching, child and family characteristics, and fidelity of implementation (logs and checklist). Data Analytic Strategy: The investigators will use linear mixed modeling (LMM) to determine the efficacy of the intervention on child outcomes. Parallel process growth modeling within a structural equation modeling framework will be used to examine whether improvements in sitting and reaching are mediators leading to improvements in problem solving, which is then a mediator leading to long-term global cognitive development. LMM will also be used to examine moderating variables, as well as secondary motor outcomes.
Interventions
The START-Play group is a perceptual-motor approach, which uses self-initiated goal-directed movements to bolster orienting and attending to objects, while understanding basic relationships of cause and effect through manipulation and focused attention. Generally, activities focus on helping the child attend to significant environmental information, which can be correlated to forces useful for controlling posture and movement. Unlike passive movement therapy, the investigator's approach encourages activity and learning to solve problems linked by movement and manipulation of objects, which then scaffold cognitive skill.
May include active or passive movement, parent training, positioning, equipment modification, training other team members, functional skill training
Sponsors
Study design
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
* • Infants enter study between 7-16 months of age, when they are able to prop sit for 3 seconds and maintain their head at least to the level of neutral alignment with their trunk. * Gross motor delay as reflected in the Bayley III motor subtest \>1.0 Standard Deviation below the mean. * Neuromotor disorder such as cerebral palsy (CP), or at risk for CP because of extreme prematurity or brain damage that occurred at or around birth, or infants with motor delay of an unspecified origin (no clear diagnosis, but delay as above) -• Minimal movement requirements/Indicators of readiness for change: Sits with support of arms for 3 seconds after being placed. Exhibits at least some spontaneous movement of arms.
Exclusion criteria
* • Medical complications that severely limit participation in assessments and intervention such as severe visual and congenital/genetic anomalies, uncontrolled seizure disorder. * Diagnosis other than an unchanging neuromotor disorder (examples: autism, Down syndrome, spinal cord injury, acquired head injury, muscle disorder). * A child will be excluded if the parents report any of following: 1) if the child has a disability of a progressive nature such as muscular dystrophy; 2) if the child's family plans to move out of the local area within one year from the start of the study; 3) if the child has major surgery planned that might affect physical performance.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 12 months post-baseline | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III, cognitive scale; raw scores used to reflect change over time and absolute growth (rather than standard scores) Range: Minimum =20 points; Maximum=60 Higher score = better outcome |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 12 months after baseline | behavioral coding of play and hand use, coded from videotape; Coding software used to time contacts during standard reaching task during 5 minute reaching at shoulder level and below. |
| Change in Duration (Time) of Toy Contacts | Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 12 months after baseline | coding number seconds of videotaped hand use during play; timing coded in a video coding software for behavioral analysis Higher score=better |
| Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 12 months after baseline | Gross motor skills in the sitting subsection of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) Minimum value=4 Maximum value=60 Higher scores=better outcome |
| Change in Modified Parent Child Interaction-Dyadic Mini Code | Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 6 and 12 months after baseline | Play and interaction of parent and child, coding of behavior frequency and type of interaction; coded as a total percentage of time the parent provided cognitive opportunities |
| Change in Reaching (Change in Looking and Hand Contact of Toy) | Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 12 months after baseline | Looking while contacting toy, frequency of either unimanual or bimanual contact while looking at toy |
| Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 6 and 12 months after baseline | Infant growth and development indicator of problem solving skills, adapted for children with motor deficits Modified to Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play (APSP) Minimum=30 Maximum=120 Higher=better outcome |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Postural Measure of Trunk Angle | Change over 3 months | Angle of forward trunk lean in sitting position |
Countries
United States
Participant flow
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| START-Play Received the START-Play intervention in addition to their usual early intervention and care | 57 |
| Business-as-Usual Received only the usual early intervention and services required due to delays | 55 |
| Total | 112 |
Withdrawals & dropouts
| Period | Reason | FG000 | FG001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Lost to Follow-up | 10 | 12 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | START-Play | Business-as-Usual | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, Customized Months of age (adjusted for prematurity) | 10.93 Months STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.63 | 10.67 Months STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.57 | 10.8 Months STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.59 |
| Bayley Scales of Infant Development III, Cognitive | 29.25 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.14 | 28.4 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.45 | 28.83 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.8 |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized Black | 5 Participants | 6 Participants | 11 Participants |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized Other | 10 Participants | 12 Participants | 22 Participants |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized White | 42 Participants | 37 Participants | 79 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 22 Participants | 26 Participants | 48 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 35 Participants | 29 Participants | 64 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | 0 / 57 | 0 / 55 |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 57 | 0 / 55 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 57 | 0 / 55 |
Outcome results
Bayley Scales of Infant Development III
Bayley Scales of Infant Development III, cognitive scale; raw scores used to reflect change over time and absolute growth (rather than standard scores) Range: Minimum =20 points; Maximum=60 Higher score = better outcome
Time frame: Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 12 months post-baseline
Population: All assessments were video recorded and stored for later scoring by researchers masked to group assignment.
| Arm | Measure | Group | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| START-Play Intervention | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | Full group, 3 mo results | 35.9 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 7.2 |
| START-Play Intervention | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | Severely delayed, 3 mo results | 31.7 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 7.7 |
| START-Play Intervention | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | Mildly delayed, 3 mo | 39.3 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 4.6 |
| START-Play Intervention | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | Full group, 12 mo results | 44.63 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 12.23 |
| START-Play Intervention | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | severly delayed, 12 month | 36.6 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 10.94 |
| START-Play Intervention | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | mildly delayed, 12 mo | 52 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 8.06 |
| Business as Usual | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | severly delayed, 12 month | 35.11 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 10.37 |
| Business as Usual | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | Full group, 3 mo results | 33.6 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 7.1 |
| Business as Usual | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | Full group, 12 mo results | 43.28 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 12.05 |
| Business as Usual | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | Severely delayed, 3 mo results | 29.4 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 6.4 |
| Business as Usual | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | mildly delayed, 12 mo | 49.95 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 8.87 |
| Business as Usual | Bayley Scales of Infant Development III | Mildly delayed, 3 mo | 37.3 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 5.4 |
Change in Duration (Time) of Toy Contacts
coding number seconds of videotaped hand use during play; timing coded in a video coding software for behavioral analysis Higher score=better
Time frame: Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 12 months after baseline
| Arm | Measure | Group | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Duration (Time) of Toy Contacts | Baseline | 38.20 seconds | Standard Deviation 30.88 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Duration (Time) of Toy Contacts | 3 months post baseline | 44.93 seconds | Standard Deviation 29.84 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Duration (Time) of Toy Contacts | 12 months post baseline | 46.87 seconds | Standard Deviation 28.25 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Duration (Time) of Toy Contacts | Baseline | 42.28 seconds | Standard Deviation 30.7 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Duration (Time) of Toy Contacts | 3 months post baseline | 47.38 seconds | Standard Deviation 28.88 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Duration (Time) of Toy Contacts | 12 months post baseline | 44.35 seconds | Standard Deviation 26.36 |
Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI)
Infant growth and development indicator of problem solving skills, adapted for children with motor deficits Modified to Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play (APSP) Minimum=30 Maximum=120 Higher=better outcome
Time frame: Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 6 and 12 months after baseline
Population: Compared full group and also sub-groups of mild or severely delayed children separately
| Arm | Measure | Group | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | Full group, 3 mo results | 64.5 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 27.9 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | Severely delayed, 3 mo results | 57.7 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 31.1 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | Mildly delayed, 3 mo | 70 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 24.3 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | Full group, 12 mo results | 90.71 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 42.66 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | severely delayed, 12 month | 71.98 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 41.6 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | mildly delayed, 12 mo | 107.95 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 36.5 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | severely delayed, 12 month | 61.92 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 42.67 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | Full group, 3 mo results | 59.2 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 30.4 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | Full group, 12 mo results | 81.95 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 41.92 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | Severely delayed, 3 mo results | 46.9 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 30.9 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | mildly delayed, 12 mo | 97.63 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 34.68 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Early Problem Solving Indicator (EPSI) | Mildly delayed, 3 mo | 70.2 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 25.9 |
Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts
behavioral coding of play and hand use, coded from videotape; Coding software used to time contacts during standard reaching task during 5 minute reaching at shoulder level and below.
Time frame: Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 12 months after baseline
Population: Compared full group pre and post intervention, and then sub-groups of mild and severe Also examined these groups in sub-groups of mildly delayed (\<2.5 Standard Deviations below the mean on motor Bayley score at baseline) and significantly motor delayed (\>2.5SD below the mean on motor Bayley score at baseline)
| Arm | Measure | Group | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | Full group, 3 mo results | 13.1 occurrences | Standard Deviation 8.7 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | Severely delayed, 3 mo results | 7.2 occurrences | Standard Deviation 4.8 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | Mildly delayed, 3 mo | 18.2 occurrences | Standard Deviation 8 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | Full group, 12 months | 16.46 occurrences | Standard Deviation 9.48 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | severly delayed, 12 month | 13.64 occurrences | Standard Deviation 10.98 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | mildly delayed, 12 months | 19.43 occurrences | Standard Deviation 6.65 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | severly delayed, 12 month | 9.78 occurrences | Standard Deviation 7.26 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | Full group, 3 mo results | 13 occurrences | Standard Deviation 7.9 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | Full group, 12 months | 15.03 occurrences | Standard Deviation 8.93 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | Severely delayed, 3 mo results | 9.3 occurrences | Standard Deviation 7.5 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | mildly delayed, 12 months | 20.28 occurrences | Standard Deviation 7.3 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Frequency (Number) of Toy Contacts | Mildly delayed, 3 mo | 16.5 occurrences | Standard Deviation 6.7 |
Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale
Gross motor skills in the sitting subsection of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) Minimum value=4 Maximum value=60 Higher scores=better outcome
Time frame: Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 12 months after baseline
Population: Analyzed full group, and separately the mildly delayed group and the significantly delayed group
| Arm | Measure | Group | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | Full group, 3 mo results | 35 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 14.2 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | Severely delayed, 3 mo results | 26.3 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 13 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | Mildly delayed, 3 mo | 41.9 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 10.9 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | Full group, 12 mo results | 47.13 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 15.95 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | severely delayed, 12 month | 38.26 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 18.37 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | mildly delayed, 12 mo | 55.28 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 6.63 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | severely delayed, 12 month | 32.72 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 19.72 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | Full group, 3 mo results | 31.3 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 14.7 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | Full group, 12 mo results | 44.88 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 17.54 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | Severely delayed, 3 mo results | 20.9 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 9.5 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | mildly delayed, 12 mo | 54.39 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 6.58 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Gross Motor Function Measure, Sitting Subscale | Mildly delayed, 3 mo | 40.6 score on a scale | Standard Deviation 12.1 |
Change in Modified Parent Child Interaction-Dyadic Mini Code
Play and interaction of parent and child, coding of behavior frequency and type of interaction; coded as a total percentage of time the parent provided cognitive opportunities
Time frame: Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 6 and 12 months after baseline
Population: caregiver and infants with motor delays
| Arm | Measure | Group | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Modified Parent Child Interaction-Dyadic Mini Code | Baseline | .22 percentage of time | Standard Deviation 0.26 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Modified Parent Child Interaction-Dyadic Mini Code | 3 months post baseline | .46 percentage of time | Standard Deviation 0.32 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Modified Parent Child Interaction-Dyadic Mini Code | 6 months post baseline | .49 percentage of time | Standard Deviation 0.32 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Modified Parent Child Interaction-Dyadic Mini Code | 12 months post baseline | .65 percentage of time | Standard Deviation 0.31 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Modified Parent Child Interaction-Dyadic Mini Code | 12 months post baseline | .62 percentage of time | Standard Deviation 0.3 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Modified Parent Child Interaction-Dyadic Mini Code | Baseline | .19 percentage of time | Standard Deviation 0.22 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Modified Parent Child Interaction-Dyadic Mini Code | 6 months post baseline | .46 percentage of time | Standard Deviation 0.32 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Modified Parent Child Interaction-Dyadic Mini Code | 3 months post baseline | .34 percentage of time | Standard Deviation 0.31 |
Change in Reaching (Change in Looking and Hand Contact of Toy)
Looking while contacting toy, frequency of either unimanual or bimanual contact while looking at toy
Time frame: Baseline, at end of 3 month intervention, and at 12 months after baseline
Population: infants with severe motor delays
| Arm | Measure | Group | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Reaching (Change in Looking and Hand Contact of Toy) | Baseline | 4.06 occurrences | Standard Deviation 0.88 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Reaching (Change in Looking and Hand Contact of Toy) | 3 months post baseline | 7.45 occurrences | Standard Deviation 1.21 |
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Reaching (Change in Looking and Hand Contact of Toy) | 12 months post baseline | 10.83 occurrences | Standard Deviation 1.99 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Reaching (Change in Looking and Hand Contact of Toy) | Baseline | 5.96 occurrences | Standard Deviation 1.81 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Reaching (Change in Looking and Hand Contact of Toy) | 3 months post baseline | 7.14 occurrences | Standard Deviation 1.48 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Reaching (Change in Looking and Hand Contact of Toy) | 12 months post baseline | 7.69 occurrences | Standard Deviation 2.56 |
Change in Postural Measure of Trunk Angle
Angle of forward trunk lean in sitting position
Time frame: Change over 3 months
Population: Infants with severe delays
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| START-Play Intervention | Change in Postural Measure of Trunk Angle | 10.93 degrees | Standard Deviation 10.93 |
| Business as Usual | Change in Postural Measure of Trunk Angle | 11.64 degrees | Standard Deviation 8.23 |