Background and Aim : Cerebral palsy (CP) children are the most referral patients to occupational therapy centers. Hand function is important in activity of daily living. There is a hand dysfunction in most cerebral palsy children. Orthosis and splint are commonly used to improve the position , range of motion, quality of movement, arm and hand function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of static anti-pronation splint on dominant upper extremity function in spastic diplegic cerebral palsy children with 8 to 12 years old.

Materials and Methods : This interventional study is in a before-after design for two group case and control. Thirty spastic diplegic cerebral palsy children with 8 to 12 years old who had the inclusion criteria, were randomly assigned to case and control group. Patients of case group used a static anti-pronation splint for 2 months, 8 hours daily. In this study the Jebsen Taylor test was used to evaluate upper extremity function, the Goniometer was used to measure ROM of elbow, forearm and wrist, the Modified Ashworth Scale was used to assess spasticity of elbow, forearm and wrist. Power grip and pinch were assessed with MIE device.

Results : In the case group results showed a significant improvement in upper extremity function (0.026), forearm supination ROM (0.007), wrist extention ROM (0.005), forearm muscle pronator spasticity (0.001), wrist muscle flexsor spasticity (0.009), power grip (0.001) and pinch (0.001). The data did not show significant improvement on elbow extention ROM (0.075), elbow muscle flexsor spasticity (0.164). In comparison with control group, the data showed a significant improvement in upper extremity function (P=0.001), forearm supination ROM (p=0.034), wrist extention ROM (P=0.042), forearm muscle pronator spasticity (P=0.009), power grip (P=0.001) and pinch (P=0.001). The data did not show significant improvement on elbow extention ROM (P=0.140), elbow muscle flexsor spasticity (P=0.638) and wrist muscle flexsor spasticity (P=0.105).

Conclusion : The findings show that using static anti-pronation splint for 2 months , 8 hours a day , can be an effective method to improve upper extremity function , range of motion of forearm and wrist , forearm spasticity and power grip and pinch in spastic diplegic cerebral palsy children with 8 to 12 years old .

Key word : Cerebral palsy, Static anti pronation splint, Upper extremity function, Spasticity, Power

Backgrouna and Aim : Children with cerebral palsy have often movement and postural disorders. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of new neoprene dynamic orthosis on balance in children with cerebral palsy.

Materials and Methods : This study is quazi experimental. Five children with cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia) with mean age of 9/6± 3.78 years old participated in this study. The degree of knee extension was measured using electrogoniometer. Center of Pressure(COP) displacement in anterior/posterior and medial/lateral planes and functional balance were also measured using kistler forceplate (BA, Kistler- Switzerland 9286) and berg test in two occasions, before and after wearing neoprene orthosis in a period of six weeks. Wilcoxon test was used for comparing data before and after 6 weeks.

Results : There was statistically significant difference in right knee extension before and after wearing orthosis (p<0/05). The result of this study show no statistically significant in COP parameters. However, functional balance of children with CP shows significant improvement using neoprene orthosis.

Conclusion : New neoprene orthosis can be effective in knee biomechanical alignment as well as functional balance

Keywords : Cerebral palsy, Lycra dynamic orthosis, Postural control

Background and Aim: Mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) experience limitation in occupational performance because of caring of their children. It is proposed that the standard measurements need to be assessed their occupational performance problem. The aim of this study was to translate "Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) into Persian and to test its content validity and reliability in Iranian mothers of children with cerebral palsy.

Materials and Methods: It was a non experimental methodology study. After permission from innovators, COPM was translated into Persian language in three phases with respect to IQOLA project. Each of the items was validated by a panel of ten experts to review each item on “appropriate” and “not appropriate”. For examining test-retest reliability Iranians version of COPM was responded twice within at least two days or at most one week interval, by 30 Iranian mother of a child with CP in the rehabilitation clinic under the supervision of University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences (USWR). We used to sample of convenience and non probability design for sampling. Then, data were analyzed with SPSS software from the aspects of content validity and test-retest reliability.

Results: Content validity rate of the Persian version demonstrated a high content validity (80.95±0.222). The Spearman correlation coefficients of the test and retest scores ranged from r=0.84 for performance to r=0.87 for satisfaction and this indicated a high correlation between scores and acceptable reliability of the Persian version of COPM.

Conclusion: It was concluded that the Persian version of COPM can be applied reliability to mothers of children with CP and it can be used for clinical as well as research purposes.

Key words: Canadian occupational performance measure, Mother, Cerebral palsy, Validity, Reliability

Background and Aim: Cerebral palsy is a common cause of inability in childhood that effects on posture and motor development and leads in activity limitation. One of the difficulty of cerebral palsy is impairment in arm and hand function. Splints and orthosis are used to improve position, range of motion and hand function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of static anti-pronation splint on spasticity, range of motion, grip and pinch strength and function of affected hand of spastic hemiplegic children of 8-12 years old.

Materials and Methods: This is an interventional study. Twenty spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy children with 8 to 12 years old were selected through students who studied in physical disabled schools in Tehran city and had the inclusion criteria. Patients randomly divided into intervention and control group. Patients in intervention group used a static anti-pronation splint for two months, 6 hours daily. In this study the Jebsen Taylor test was used to evaluate hand function, the Modified Ashworth Scale was used to assess spasticity of wrist, forearm and elbow, ROM of wrist, forearm and elbow were measured with goniometer and grip and pinch strength were evaluated with MIE.

Results: Results in intervention group showed a significant improvement in hand function (p<0.003), in wrist`s spasticity (p<0.005), forearm`s spasticity (p<0.003), wrist`s ROM (p<0.001), forearm ROM (p<0.003), grip strength (p<0.001) and pinch strength (p<0.003) in intervention group. The data did not show significant improvement on elbow`s joint ROM (p<0.343) and spasticity (p<0.157).In control group, significant improvement did not seen (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Information from present research shows that using static anti-pronation splint for 2 months ,6 hours a day, can be an effective method to improve hand function, wrist and  forearm spasticity and range of motion, strength of grip and pinch in hemiplegic CP children.

Keywords: Static anti-pronation splint, Hand function, Spastic hemiplegic, Cerebral palsy.

Background and Aim: Children with cerebral palsy have impaired quality of life for reasons such as sensory-motor impairments. There is no tool in Persian to examine quality of life of children with cerebral palsy based on their specific conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess psychometric properties of the  Persian version of the parent report of the Quality of Life Questionnaire for adolescence with Cerebral Palsy (CP QOL Teen).

Materials and Methods: In this psychometrics measurement study, CP QOL (parent report) was translated to Persian based on the International Quality of Life Assessment Project (International Quality Of Life Assessment Project: IQOLA), and then its face validity, content validity, construct validity, and reliability were assessed. A convenient sample of subjects including 82 parents of adolescence with cerebral palsy (13-18 years old), were recruited.

Results: Face and content validity were obtained by parents and experts respectively. Content Validity Index was 0.62. There was a significant correlation between total score and subscales scores of the questionnaire and also, between total score and GMFCS. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the total score was 0.994. Also, cronbach's coefficient &alpha; for the internal consistency of all of the questions of the questionnaire were 0.996

Conclusion: Persian version of the parent report of CPQOL has acceptable reliability and validity. It is a useful assessment tool for evaluating the quality of life of adolescence with cerebral palsy.

Keywords: Reliability, Validity, Persian version of parent report of the quality of life questionnaire for adolescence with cerebral palsy.