Using digital tools to improve rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy
Official title: Leveraging Digital Technologies to Advance Rehabilitation for Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy
Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11165773 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new way to help kids with one-sided cerebral palsy improve their arm skills using online therapy, making it easier for families, especially those in remote areas, to access important treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $47,579 |
| NIH project number | 1F31HD118783-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11165773 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 0-11 years with unilateral upper extremity deficits due to cerebral palsy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with bilateral upper extremity deficits or those outside the specified age range may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing rehabilitation for children with unilateral cerebral palsy by utilizing telehealth to deliver pediatric constraint induced movement therapy (pCIMT). The approach involves intensive practice with the affected arm while the unaffected arm is constrained, which is typically challenging to access for many families. By employing wrist-worn accelerometers, the study aims to measure the effectiveness of telehealth pCIMT in improving upper extremity motor skills and to compare it with traditional in-person assessments. This innovative method seeks to make therapy more accessible, especially for families in rural or underserved areas.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve access to effective rehabilitation therapies for children with unilateral cerebral palsy, enhancing their motor skills and overall quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: While telehealth interventions have shown promise in early-stage pediatric research, this specific approach to pCIMT via telehealth is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maus, Elizabeth G. — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Maus, Elizabeth G.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Measuring how kids with cerebral palsy adapt their walking
A study to understand how children with cerebral palsy learn and adjust walking, and how personalized feedback during walking might improve their mobility.
-
Precise measure of how CP affects movement to guide treatment
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Non-invasive spinal stimulation to help kids with cerebral palsy move and reduce stiffness
This study tests a non-invasive spinal stimulation plus treadmill training to reduce spasticity and improve walking in children with cerebral palsy.
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Physiologic marker to predict cerebral palsy early in high-risk babies
Aims to create an early, easy screen using NICU vital signs to flag infants at higher risk for cerebral palsy so families can get timely follow-up.
-
Post-surgical foot deformities in adults with cerebral palsy: understanding long-term function
This research looks at how hindfoot problems in adults with cerebral palsy behave over time after childhood surgeries and what factors influence their lasting function.
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Dynamic Brain Imaging of Cerebral Palsy Gait
This project uses advanced brain and spinal imaging to understand how cerebral palsy affects the way young people plan and control their leg movements during walking.
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.