Virtual Reality in Rehabilitation of Children with Cerebral Palsy
Review article
Gunel, M. K., Kara, K. O., Ozal, C. & Turker, D. (2014) In E. Svraka (Ed) Cerebral Palsy - Challenges for the Future (pp. 273-301). InTech: DOI: 10.5772/56981 Creative Commons BY 3.0 license
Link to full text: dx.doi.org/10.5772/57486
Chapter 9, Virtual Reality in Rehabilitation of Children with Cerebral Palsy, is found within the book Cerebral Palsy - Challenges for the Future, published as an open source volume by InTech. The book develops the following ideas… "lifelong re/habilitation (habilitation and rehabilitation) in persons with cerebral palsy is the first part of this book which has four chapters about management in children and adults with cerebral palsy through the life span, providing evidence-based and family-centered support and services. Three chapters of the second part are exploring the new therapy options which could improve the family quality of life. Third part has two chapters about complementary therapies with new possibilities for the future."
The chapter on virtual reality therapy begins with an ICF perspective. In CP treatment, VR (re)habilitation modalities are identified separately as ‘evidence-based and clinical’ applications. The authors provide an extensive review of CP rehabilitation from the ICF perspective, and connect to a history of VR. They consider the theoretical base of VR therapy and include a neurology lesson and a review of virtual reality systems used in pediatric rehabilitation (immersive or desktop). A classification of VR systems for rehabilitation from (Galvin and Levac) is provided. The chapter finishes with a review of VR studies relating to upper extremity, lower extremity, postural control, fitness and other topics.
Reference
Galvin, J. and Levac, D. (2011). Faciliating clinical decision-making about the use of virtual reality within paediatric motor rehabilitation: describing and classifying virtual reality systems. Developmental neurorehabilitation, 2011:14 (2):112-22