Dance Program for Youth With Cerebral Palsy

Purpose:

Cerebral palsy (CP) is defined as a group of permanent disorders of the development of movement and posture that are attributed to non-progressive disturbances which occurred in the developing fetal or infant brain. As children with CP experience development and growth, motor disorders present along with disorders related to sensation, perception, cognition, and/or a seizure disorder. The way that CP manifests itself can change over time as a child grows and their surrounding environment changes, however, the lesion does not change. Throughout childhood and adolescence, a common obstacle that children with cerebral palsy face is a lack of participation and inclusion in the same leisure activities containing physical activity as their peers due to physical, cognitive, and social limitations. Currently, there is limited research pertaining to the concepts of adapted dance and its relation to children with CP and in turn, limited information about the benefits that these programs offer to the target population.

Background and Intervention Children with CP may not participate in the same leisure activities containing physical activity as their peers due to physical, cognitive, and social limitations. Children with CP who lack opportunities for physical activity are at increased risk for fatigue, injury, and pain secondary to maladaptation resulting from exacerbating physical impairments. To decrease these risks, it is imperative that children with CP participate in physical activity and develop a habit of healthy exercise. However, opportunities for physical activity must have accommodations for physical and cognitive deficits experienced by this population. Thus, an adapted sports program, such as dance, can be developed to cater to the target population. The program developed should be a physical activity that is meaningful and engaging. Thus, an adapted dance or sports program for the target population could be an effective solution to the obstacle.

Of the current research conducted on adaptive dance programs for children with CP, there is an overall theme of the active ingredients used in the programs. Each dance class was 60 minutes in length for 2-3x per week depending on the study. Most of the dance programs recruited volunteers to support participants throughout the dance class as needed. All programs consisted of a warm-up section and a cool-down portion at the end of class. The type of dance ranged in each study from hip-hop, ballet, and a variety of all dance types. The major theme of all adaptive dance programs for children with CP included focus on repetition of movements and an improvisation portion of the class. Dance movements were focused on balance, postural control, and directional movements. All programs consisted of a dance performance for participants' families and friends. The main outcomes from included significant gait improvement and control of movements. Major outcomes of an adaptive dance program can include significant improvement in coordination, balance, and endurance.

The use of the action-observation treatment intervention strategy has yielded a significant amount of evidence that shows the activation of the mirror neuron system can help improve specific motor skills. This motor learning technique has been successfully applied in a variety of adult populations such as stroke patients and Parkinson's disease patients, as well as more recently, children with cerebral palsy. In the context of rehabilitation sessions, patients typically work on one action per session, and this action is separated into 3 to 4 consecutive motor actions. Each action is observed for at least 3 minutes, with the total action then taking 12 minutes to observe. Actions are shown from multiple perspectives to further enhance learning. Following the observation, participants spend at least 2 minutes imitating the observed actions. The total time a session takes is typically 30 minutes.

In the context of a dance class, the research team will incorporate an action-observation technique as a method of teaching choreography steps. A section of a dance routine will be focused on for the duration of one class session, with the dance section broken up into 3 to 4 smaller movements. The environmental aspect of adding a mirror will add multiple perspectives for participants to observe the instructor performing dance actions, which could enhance learning and comprehension of dance moves.

Study Design A quasi-experimental mixed-method study will be conducted with clinical assessments completed pre-intervention and post-intervention to determine the feasibility and the impact of the intervention. The intervention will consist of participating in a 1-hour class, two times a week for 10 weeks.

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of cerebral palsy
• GMFCS levels 1 or 2
• MACS levels 1-3
• Aged 4-17 years
• Able to follow directions in English
• Ability to complete the assessment protocol
• Does not have any restrictions/contraindications following a medical procedure that prohibits movement

Exclusion criteria

• has uncontrolled epilepsy
• has severe behavioral problems
• unable to complete the assessment protocol