Understanding Arm and Hand Movements in Young Children
Development of upper extremity behavioral assessment methods for reach-and-grasp and physical rehabilitation
This project aims to create a better way to measure how infants and toddlers, including those with cerebral palsy, use their arms and hands.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11115776 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We are creating new ways to observe and understand how young children, from 8 to 36 months old, naturally reach and grasp objects. This is important because these skills are key for healthy development and interacting with the world around them. Our goal is to develop a standardized tool that can precisely measure these movements in children with and without hemiparetic cerebral palsy, helping us track their development and how well treatments like constraint-induced movement therapy are working. We will collect video data from typically developing children and those with cerebral palsy to build this new assessment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are infants and toddlers between 8 and 36 months of age, both those who are developing typically and those with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke and hemiparetic cerebral palsy.
Not a fit: Patients outside the 8-36 month age range or those without conditions affecting upper extremity movement may not directly benefit from this specific assessment development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this new assessment tool could help doctors and therapists better understand a child's development, measure the impact of treatments, and tailor interventions more effectively for children with conditions like cerebral palsy.
How similar studies have performed: While the specific assessment method is new, this project builds upon existing knowledge of child development and leverages data from a Phase III clinical trial for constraint-induced movement therapy, suggesting a foundation of related successful approaches.
Where this research is happening
Columbus, UNITED STATES
- Ohio State University — Columbus, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Heathcock, Jill C. — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Heathcock, Jill C.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.