Motor intervention with goal-directed task in cerebral palsy: a case report

Abstract

Objectives: To check the performance of the fine motor skills after the motor intervention with a goal-directed task in an infant with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Method: A 6-year-old boy with mild left hemiplegia performed the goal-directed tasks for 45 minutes during five weeks, totaling 15 physiotherapy sessions, and he was evaluated according to the Manual Abilities Classification System (MACS), before and after the intervention, which evaluates from level I (including children who handle objects easily and successfully) to level V (children unable to handle objects and with severely limited ability to perform even the simplest actions). The program comprised the following goal-directed tasks: pick up oranges, find out the surprise, fill up a piggy bank, shoot a target and play bowling. Results: In picking up oranges and finding out the surprise, MACS remained in the level II in the pre and post-intervention, but the infant improved movement quality and function. When shooting a target and playing bowling, MACS decreased one level, i.e., the boy enhanced his score. Conclusion: There was a clear improvement in the infant’s fine motor skills in terms of quantity, quality and independence of movement. The infant reduced the amount of time needed to perform the tasks, with a clear progress in his functional ability.