Virtual Reality and Active Video Games to Improve Balance in Children With Brain Injury

Blythedale Children's Hospital4 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this pilot feasibility study is to assess the feasibility of using the Playstation Xbox 360 and Rutgers V-step via a Kinect Sensor with active video game software as a part of a physical therapy intervention to improve obstacle negotiation, gait speed, and stair negotiation in ambulatory children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) hemiparesis or spastic diplegia, or non-progressive brain injury (BI). Children will be assessed using perceptual, balance, functional and gait assessments.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy Acquired Brain Injury

Interventions

Active video gamingBEHAVIORAL

Children will visit Blythedale for 8 sessions, one 45-session visit per week, in place of one of the child's typical physical therapy sessions. During each session, children will play a video game on the X-Box Kinect system, using the games "Kinect Adventures" and "Kinect Sports". The child will first play a "Kinect Adventures" game, which requires ambulating, ducking, and dodging one's way through an obstacle course.

Usual care physical therapyBEHAVIORAL

Children will attend their usual care physical therapy appointments at Blythedale.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 7 YearsMax age: 17 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 7-17 * Diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy or Diagnosis of Acquired Brain Injury * Ambulatory with or without an assistive device x 150 feet * Cognition and attention ability sufficient to be successful in video game play and to follow instructions of the investigator. * Able to complete testing process. * Current patient at Blythedale Children's Hospital program (Expected Length of Stay/availability for study of approximately 8 weeks) Exclusion Criteria: * Any history of photosensitive epilepsy or seizures triggered by exposure to flashing lights, television or video games * Attention or behavior problems that prevent the successful completion of game play * Any acute musculoskeletal injury that limits weight bearing on one lower extremity (due to orthopedist concerns for fracture or injury) * Any medical condition that prevents the child from tolerating exercise due to cardiovascular conditions

Locations (1)

Blythedale Children's Hospital

Valhalla, New York, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Computer Adaptive Test

The PEDI-CAT measures abilities in three functional domains: Daily Activities, Mobility and Social/Cognitive.