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Cerebral Palsy pp 193–200Cite as

Early Intervention for Children with Cerebral Palsy

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Abstract

Whilst starting intervention early is a common goal of many clinicians and researchers, there is paucity of high-quality evidence to support early interventions in improving motor and other neurodevelopmental outcomes when commenced in the first 2 years of life. The evidence that does exist for early motor intervention for infants with cerebral palsy (CP) or high risk of CP recommends interventions based on motor learning principles with child-initiated movement that actively involves parents and focuses on environmental enrichment. Ideally diagnosis-specific intervention should occur as early as possible, during key periods of brain plasticity and prior to maladaptation of the musculoskeletal and central nervous system.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Alicia J. Spittle Ph.D., M.Physio., B.Physio.

  2. Physiotherapy, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Alicia J. Spittle Ph.D., M.Physio., B.Physio.

  3. Victorian Infant Brain Study, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia

    Alicia J. Spittle Ph.D., M.Physio., B.Physio.

  4. Cerebral Palsy Alliance, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Cathy Morgan Ph.D., B.App.Sc. Physio.

Authors
  1. Alicia J. Spittle Ph.D., M.Physio., B.Physio.
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  2. Cathy Morgan Ph.D., B.App.Sc. Physio.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alicia J. Spittle Ph.D., M.Physio., B.Physio. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Paediatric Neurology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Division of Paediatric Neurology, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Christos P. Panteliadis

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Spittle, A.J., Morgan, C. (2018). Early Intervention for Children with Cerebral Palsy. In: Panteliadis, C. (eds) Cerebral Palsy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67858-0_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67858-0_18

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-67857-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-67858-0

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