Intensive Goal Training for Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy

Intensive Training of Functional Priorities Reported by Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy

Adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) present important limitations for the performance of daily living activities. The aims of the study is to evaluate the feasibility and effects of an intensive goal training protocol for adolescents with CP. He hypothesize that adolescents submitted to the studied protocol will present improvements in performance and satisfaction of prioritized functional goals.

We will conduct a feasibility study to assess the implementation and the possible effects of an intensive individualized goal training with adolescents with CP. Adolescents will select up to 5 functional goals to be trained during a 2 weeks, 3 hour-daily training, totalling 30 hours across 2 weeks. Moreover, they will be asked to daily practice these activities at home along the intervention period.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Medical diagnosis of bilateral CP;
• Age between 12 and 17 years old;
• Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) ranging from levels I to III;
• Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) ranging from levels I to IV;
• Ability to understand verbal instructions.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Botulinum toxin or surgery in upper limbs in the previous 6 months of the study.