Learn to move 0-2 years: early intervention in children with cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disability in paediatric rehabilitation. Current interventions in infants with or at high risk for CP do not have a beneficial effect on motor or cognitive performance. Theoretically however, intervention at early age when the brain is very plastic, should be more effective than intervention which starts beyond infancy. Preliminary data of an on-going project on infants with early brain dysfunction mostly not resulting in CP suggest that the new programme “Coping with and caring for infants with neurological dysfunction – a family centred program” (COPCA; Dirks & Hadders-Algra) produces better motor and cognitive outcomes at 18 months than traditional physiotherapeutic care. The present study aims at testing the effectiveness of COPCA in infants with CP.
In a randomized controlled trial 40 infants meeting strictly defined criteria indicating with high certainty the presence of CP at the corrected age of 3-9 months will receive either COPCA or traditional paediatric physiotherapy for the duration of 1 year. Infants and their parents will be assessed with a large set of tests aiming at measuring motor and cognitive function, quality of life and family related measures at baseline and at 3, 6 and 12 months after onset of intervention. In addition working mechanisms of the intervention will be studied by means of detailed analyses of postural development and quantitative video-analyses of therapeutic sessions and daily life activities.

COPCA (Coping and Caring) intervention in infants at high risk for cerebral palsy will result in better functioning than Tradional Paediatric Therapy.

Baseline, and after 3, 6 and 12 months.

COPCA (Coping with and caring for infants with neurologic dysfunction; Dirks & Hadders-Algra) is a new treatment programme for children with cerebral palsy.