Functional Hand Use

This comprehensive, practical and interactive online training course across 4 sessions focuses on the implementation of evidence-based interventions for children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Using the latest evidence and knowledge from scientific literature, the course will assist clinicians in making sense of who, how, why and when to use a particular upper limb intervention. The course will provide clinicians with the confidence and practical skills to implement interventions such as modified constraint-induced movement therapy, bimanual therapy and goal-directed training. It will focus on practical considerations, such as the individual characteristics of the child (age, cognition, motivation), the importance of environment, supporting parents and optimising positive behaviours and mastery motivation to achieve the most effective outcomes. Participants will also learn how to objectively evaluate treatment outcomes. A comprehensive course manual and reference materials will be provided.

Who should attend

Occupational therapists and physiotherapists who assess and treat children with unilateral cerebral palsy.

Course objectives

On completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Define functional hand use and hand role differentiation in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.

2. Summarise the current evidence for upper limb interventions, including modified constraint-induced movement therapy, bimanual therapy and goal-directed training.

3. Explain the latest evidence for brain plasticity and its impact on the timing and choice of intervention.

4. Compare the practical, environmental and contextual considerations for implementing constraint-induced movement therapy, bimanual therapy and goal-directed training.

5. Justify who, how, why and when to choose a particular upper limb intervention for an individual child, taking into account age, cognition, motivation and family context.

6. Design an evidence-based upper limb therapy program, including a home program, that supports positive behaviour and mastery motivation and considers important transitions throughout childhood.

7. Select appropriate assessments to objectively evaluate the outcomes of a specific intervention.

Course requirements

Before the course, participants are asked to read the two pre-course papers provided on the CPTeaching Learning Management System (LMS) and download the course manual.

Prerequisites: Nil.

Attendance at all four online forums is required to receive the attendance certificate.