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News & Information
Dr Nigel Paneth, director of the CPON
project, received the 2006 "Weinstein-Goldenson Medical
Science Award" in recognition of his work on cerebral
palsy. The award was presented April 28th at the United
Cerebral Palsy (UCP) annual conference in Little Rock,
Arkansas.
UCP Research and Educational Foundation notes on their
website that "The Weinstein-Goldenson Award is presented
annually to a clinician- scientist for outstanding
contributions in medical research which enhance the lives of
persons with cerebral palsy and their families."
Current Topics
It has been reported that children with CP can benefit
greatly from early interventions.
Intervention services often
begin in the first year of life, as soon as developmental
delays are detected, and even before a diagnosis of CP.
That’s because CP itself is usually not diagnosed until it
becomes clear the child has persisting developmental delay
in achieving the usual milestones of sitting, crawling,
walking and talking.
Early interventions are designed to reduce disability and
support families. Parents and children may be introduced to
many types of medical and physical therapies, and types of
equipment, for strengthening muscles, developing skills, and
managing conditions associated with CP.
Conductive Education (CE)
One educational intervention for children
with CP is conductive education (CE), which has programs for
infants through age 18. It was developed by Dr. Andras Peto
in Hungary in the 1940s, and first introduced to the US in
the 1980s. This multidisciplinary program attempts to teach
children with motor dysfunction (such as CP or spina bifida)
how to make the most use of their muscles, and encourage
social interactions and independence. Program goals include
development of cognitive (thinking), communication, motor
(muscle), social, and daily living skills.
Several distinctive elements of conductive
education are:
Orthofunction as the central
philosophy
Orthofunction refers to the ability to
function independently in the world despite disabilities.
Education rather than therapy
A variety of activities are used to teach
everyday skills needed for mobility and school readiness.
Sessions occur in 3-5 hour blocks, which is generally more
time-intensive than individual physical therapy sessions.
Conductors
Conductors are trained to be responsible for
education, physiotherapy, speech, and occupational therapy
for children, and consultation and counseling for parents.
Their primary task is to motivate children to want to
achieve their goals. The relationship between the child and
the conductor is very important and should be mutually
enjoyable.
Group work
Teaching is usually carried out in small
groups, where children can learn from their peers. This
group experience is seen as a powerful motivation.
Rhythmic Intention
Rhythmic intention is the method of learning
in which children use speech to express their movement
goals. Rhythm and songs are used to initiate control and to
complete movements and functional tasks.
Conductive
Education Evaluation Project (CEEP)
Expected start-up summer 2007. See CPON
website for updated details soon.
Many accounts of successful achievements
have been reported for individuals, but only a few
small-scale evaluations have been published on the
effectiveness of conductive education, especially in the
US. MSU is currently planning a scientifically rigorous and
independent evaluation of the effectiveness of conductive
education to help guide parents, CP care providers, and
policy-makers.
Effective intervention that improves the
lives of children with CP and reduces their dependence on
caregivers and other resources may prove to be a
cost-effective investment for health care insurers, schools,
and publicly funded programs addressing disabilities.
Contact Information
 Nigel
Paneth, MD, MPH
Madeleine Lenski, MSPH
Sukyeong Pi, PhD
Dept. of Epidemiology
 Michigan
State University
B601 West Fee Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
Tel: (517) 353-8623
Email:
spi@epi.msu.edu
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