Feasibility and Reliability of the Melbourne Assessment-2 (MA-2) for Telehealth

After a child has a stroke, noticeable and lifelong developmental concerns emerge. One side of the body is typically much weaker, often impacting the arm/hand more than the leg/foot, so we focus on the arm/hand. The weakness is like adults with stroke, but in children, stroke impairs play, reaching for/holding toys, communication gestures, and whole-body movement. Because of this, most children with pediatric stroke will receive physical and/or occupational therapy throughout childhood. Traditionally, rehabilitation occurs with the child, caregiver and therapist meeting in person at clinics, homes, or schools. However, telehealth rehabilitation, where the therapist and patient meet virtually through a computer or tablet, has emerged a sustainable and accessible alternative. Telehealth also has the potential to improve access to quality treatments, improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. One problem with telehealth rehabilitation is that few assessments have been validated for use in telehealth. In adults with stroke, researchers have identified several assessments for that work well via telehealth. Similarly, in children with one specific brain disease, researchers found that the results of one commonly used gross motor test are similar when delivered via telehealth compared to in-person. Unfortunately, there is no studied arm/hand assessment for children with stroke. This makes it hard to measure if telehealth rehabilitation changes arm/hand function. This proposal will test two playful arm/hand assessments via telehealth. Investigators will test 35 children (2-10 years old) twice (once in-person and once via telehealth) with the same assessment and compare the results. Investigators will use two well-established assessments, the Melbourne Assessment-2 and the Assisting Hand Assessment. Both assessments will be recorded- via camera (in-person) and secure videoconferencing (telehealth). Those recordings will then be scored by a therapist trained in the Melbourne Assessment and Assisting Hand Assessment. Investigators will compare the results of both assessments to see if the scores match.

Inclusion criteria

• ages 2-10 years old
• hemiplegic cerebral palsy
• able to attend an in-person visit in the research lab OR live within 60 miles of the research lab
• able to attend a telehealth session with personal device

Exclusion criteria

• child or caregiver does not speak English
• unable to attend one in person visit and one telehealth visit within 1 month