Fostering locomotor behavior of children with developmental disabilities: An overview of studies using treadmills and walkers with microswitches.
This paper provides an overview of studies using programs with treadmills or walkers with microswitches and contingent stimulation to foster locomotor behavior of children with developmental disabilities. Twenty-six studies were identified in the period 2000-2008 (i.e., the period in which research in this area has actually taken shape). Twenty-one of the studies involved the use of treadmills (i.e., 13 were aimed at children with cerebral palsy, 6 at children with Down syndrome, and 2 at children with Rett syndome or cerebellar ataxia). The remaining five studies concerned the use of walkers with microswitches and contingent stimulation with children with multiple disabilities. The outcomes of the studies tended to be positive but occasional failures also occurred. The outcomes were analyzed considering the characteristics of the approaches employed, the implications of the approaches for the participants' overall functioning situation (development), as well as methodological and practical aspects related to those approaches. Issues for future research were also examined.
University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
Giulio E
GE
Lancioni
Nirbhay N
NN
Singh
Mark F
MF
O'Reilly
Jeff
J
Sigafoos
Robert
R
Didden
Francesco
F
Manfredi
Pietro
P
Putignano
Fabrizio
F
Stasolla
Gabriella
G
Basili
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D009043:Motor Activity; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014853:Walkers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data