Intensive upper-limb rehabilitation program for children and teenagers with cerebral palsy
Official title: Effect of an Intensive Rehabilitation Protocol Combining Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy and Bimanual Training on Upper Limb Use and Gross Motor Function in Children and Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy
Run by Fondation Ellen Poidatz · NCT07285837 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program tries two intensive therapies—constraint-induced movement therapy and bimanual intensive therapy—to improve arm and hand use in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 3 Years to 17 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 90 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Fondation Ellen Poidatz Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry, Île-de-France Region) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 21, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 2030 |
| Study ends | December 2030 |
| Registry record updated | January 29, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07285837 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Children and adolescents aged 3–17 with a clinical diagnosis of cerebral palsy, GMFCS and MACS levels I–IV, able to cooperate with instructions and covered by the French social security system are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with injuries or pain preventing participation, significant behavioral disorders, or those who had botulinum toxin injections or surgery within the past six months are unlikely to benefit from this program.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This interventional program delivers concentrated upper-limb rehabilitation using two established approaches: Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT), which restricts the unaffected limb to encourage use of the affected limb, and Bimanual Intensive Therapy (BIT), which trains both hands together to improve coordination. Eligible participants are children and adolescents aged 3–17 with CP and GMFCS/MACS levels I–IV who can follow simple instructions. Treatment occurs at the Fondation Ellen Poidatz in Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry and excludes those with recent surgery or botulinum toxin injections, significant pain, or behavioral disorders. The protocol aims to maximize functional gains through short-term intensive training rather than standard, lower-frequency rehabilitation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase hand and arm function and improve independence in daily activities for participating children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that both CIMT and BIT can improve upper-limb function in children with cerebral palsy, so this program applies established intensive rehabilitation approaches rather than an entirely novel therapy.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * A clinical diagnosis of CP mentioned in the medical record * Aged between 3 and 17 years inclusive (\<18 years) * Global Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) levels I to IV * Ability to cooperate, understand and follow simple instructions * Patient affiliated to the French social security system * Voluntary patient whose parents have given their consent for their child to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of injuries incompatible with participation in the program, or pain rated \>3 on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) * Presence of behavioral disorders * History of botulinum toxin injections or surgical intervention within six months prior to study enrollment.
Where it's running
-
Fondation Ellen Poidatz
Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry, Île-de-France Region, France Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Éric Desailly, PhD
- Email: eric.desailly@fondationpoidatz.com
- Phone: +33160652765
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Manual Therapy Before Neuromotor Rehab in Children with Cerebral Palsy
In this pilot study, researchers test whether 30 minutes of lower-limb manual therapy before functional neuromotor therapy helps improve gait and motor performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy.
-
Co-designed wrist-hand orthosis for children with neuromotor disorders
In children aged 6 to 14 with neuromotor conditions after brain injury, researchers are testing a wrist-hand brace designed with input from the kids to see if it fits better and is easier to use than their current orthosis.
-
Outcomes of tone-management surgery in children with spastic/dystonic quadriplegia
This study tests how well intrathecal baclofen pumps and dorsal/ventral rhizotomy help improve movement, comfort, and daily life for kids with severe CP and high muscle tone.
-
Wearable eye tracking during bimanual tasks in children with cerebral palsy
This study tests whether wearable eye-tracking glasses can reliably record eye movements while children with CP and typically developing peers perform two-handed tasks.
-
Able Kids device: safer gait aid for kids with neurologic gait problems
This study tests whether the ABLE Kids wearable exoskeleton can be safely used during a 10-session gait training program for children with neurological gait disorders or muscle weakness.
-
Dorsal Root Electrical Stimulation to Help Spasticity in Children with Cerebral Palsy
This study tests whether adding dorsal root electrical stimulation during SDR surgery can lessen spasticity in children with cerebral palsy.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.