Postural Control Alterations in Children with Mild Forms of Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Cemil Özal; Songül Aksoy; Mintaze Kerem Günel

doi:10.2147/PHMT.S378451

Postural Control Alterations in Children with Mild Forms of Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Pediatric Health Med Ther. 2022 Nov 23:13:367-376. doi: 10.2147/PHMT.S378451. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Cemil Özal¹, Songül Aksoy², Mintaze Kerem Günel¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Fundamental Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Ankara, Turkey.
² Department of Audiology, Lokman Hekim University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the postural control responses' differences between children with mild spastic Cerebral Palsy (CP) and children who are typically developing (TD).

Patients and methods: Children with spastic CP, Level I-II (n=20, mean age=9.42±4.59 years, 50% girls, 50% boys) and children with TD (N=20, mean age=9.65±3.03, 55% girls, 45% boys) were included in the study. All participants were evaluated with Computerized Dynamic Posturography, Sensory Organization Test (SOT).

Results: There were differences between children with spastic CP and children with TD in visual and composite balance score of SOT significantly (p<0.05); there were no differences at vestibular and somatosensory scores of SOT. Children with CP had more postural sway than children with TD (p<0.05).

Conclusion: There were differences between children with mild CP and TD in terms of postural control responses.

Keywords: Cerebral Palsy; balance; computerized dynamic posturography; postural control; rehabilitation.