title: [Impact of a virtual reality-based intervention on motor performance and balance of a child with cerebral palsy: a case study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify the effect of an intervention protocol using virtual reality (VR) on the motor performance and balance of a child with cerebral palsy (CP).
  
  
  METHODS
  To comply with the proposed objectives, a 7-year old child with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy (cP), GMFcS level I, was submitted to a physiotherapy intervention protocol of 12 45-minute sessions, twice a week, using virtual reality-based therapy. The protocol used a commercially-available console (XBOX(®)360 Kinect(®)) able to track and reproduce body movements on a screen. Prior to the intervention protocol, the child was evaluated using the Motor Development Scale (MDS) and the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) in order to assess motor development and balance, respectively. Two baseline assessments with a 2-week interval between each other were carried out for each tool. Then, the child was re-evaluated after the twelfth session. The results showed no changes in the two baseline scores. After the intervention protocol, the child improved his scores in both tools used: the PBS score increased by 3 points, reaching the maximal score, and the MDS increased from a much inferior motor performance to just an inferior motor performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evidence presented in this case supports the use of virtual reality as a promising tool to be incorporated into the rehabilitation process of patients with neuromotor dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brasil. Electronic address: silvia_pavao@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Silvia Leticia
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Pavão
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Joice Luiza Bruno
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Arnoni
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Alyne Kalyane Câmara
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Nelci Adriana Cicuto Ferreira
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D063367:Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
keywords: Cerebral palsy; Children; Criança; Desempenho psicomotor; Equilíbrio postural; Paralisia cerebral; Postural balance; Psychomotor performance; Reabilitação; Rehabilitation; Terapia de exposição à realidade virtual; Virtual reality exposure therapy