The use of virtual reality to improve upper-extremity efficiency skills in children with cerebral palsy: A pilot study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Reid, Denise T.

Affiliations: Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 26 McCaul St., Toronto, Ontario M5T 1W5, Canada. Tel.: +1 416 978 5937; Fax: +1 416 978 4363; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a pilot study of a virtual reality play based intervention. The results of four single case studies are presented. The virtual reality intervention used the Mandala Gesture Xtreme technology. It was applied to four school aged children with cerebral palsy. A pretest-posttest design was used. The relevant outcome of interest was upper extremity control as measured with the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST), item #6 of Subtest #5 of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP), and a measure of percent accuracy . The total scores on the QUEST indicated clinically significant changes in quality of upper extremity for two of the children. Changes were noted in other measures of upper extremity control for each child. Qualitative comments from the participants revealed a high degree of motivation, interest, pleasure, and opportunity for engagement in play activities not previously engaged in. Overall, this pilot study suggests the viability of a virtual reality play based intervention as part of the rehabilitation process for children with cerebral palsy. These results will form the basis of a larger scale randomized clinical trial.

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-2002-14202

Journal: Technology and Disability, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 53-61, 2002