Comparison of the efficacy of goals-activity-motor enrichment therapy and neurodevelopment therapy in early intervention of high-risk infants with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Objective To compare the efficacy of goal-activity-motor environment (GAME) therapy and neurodevelopmental therapy (NDT) in the early intervention of high-risk infants with cerebral palsy (IHRCP), and to provide scientific evidence-based medical basis for early intervention of IHRCP. Methods A total of 62 cases of IHRCP were enrolled in the Children′s Neurological Rehabilitation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medi-cal University from June 2017 to December 2018.They were divided into GAME group (32 cases) and NDT group (30 cases) according to the admission order.Gross Motor Function Scale (GMFM), Fine Motor Function Measure (FMFM) and Gesell Development Scale (GDS) were used for detection and comparison.The differences among the gross motor, the fine motor score and the developmental quotient (DQ) between two groups before treatment, 9 months after treatment and 12 months after treatment, and the normalization rate and the incidence of cerebral palsy between the two groups at 12 months of age were compared. Results (1) Motor function was as follows: at 9 months[GAME: (32.63±15.83) scores, (30.03±15.88) scores], [NDT: (33.37±15.61) scores, (29.67±12.54) scores] and at 12 months[GAME: (40.56±15.79) scores, (36.31±14.98) scores], [NDT: (40.47±15.50) scores, (36.73±14.58) scores] after treatment, and GMFM and FMFM scores in GAME and NDT groups were significantly higher than those before treatment[GAME: (27.56±14.24) scores, (21.75±11.35) scores], [NDT: (26.93±14.96) scores, (21.30±10.67) scores], and the differences were significant (all P 0.05). (2) DQ had no significant difference in DQ between GAME group(63.59±10.83) and NDT group (61.59±7.96) before treatment (P>0.05). The total DQ at 9 months, 12 months, the total DQ of GAME group (73.67±12.00, 81.59±13.03) was significantly higher than that of NDT group (66.05±9.54, 75.17±1.92) (all P 0.05); the incidence of cerebral palsy was present in 6 cases in GAME group and 5 cases in NDT group, and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P>0.05). Conclusions GAME therapy and NDT had significant effects on both gross and fine exercise of IHRCP, and the efficacy of the two methods is similar.Both GAME therapy and NDT can equally promote IHRCP development into normal infants and reduce the incidence of cerebral palsy. Key words: Infants at high-risk of cerebral palsy; Early intervention; Goals-activity-motor enrichment therapy; Neurodevelopmental therapy; Curative effect