New Studies Cover Therapies and Activities for Children with Cerebral Palsy
For children diagnosed with cerebral palsy after a birth injury, treatments and therapies are often key to managing symptoms. With early intervention, therapy may help assist children with improving motor skills, strength, and balance as their bodies grow.
Several types of therapies exist to achieve these goals. Hippotherapy, a type of physical therapy where the patient rides horses, has helped many patients with cerebral palsy. A new study has found that mechanical horse-riding simulation therapy benefits children with the condition. The simulators mimic the motion of riding a horse, which is helpful when horses are not accessible. Researchers analyzed data from 12 studies, and found that “that horse-riding simulator therapy is effective in improving overall gross motor function and sitting ability, functional balance and hip abduction range of motion in children with cerebral palsy.”