Jessica M. Cassidy

Preterm infants are more likely to demonstrate developmental delays than fullterm infants. Postural measurement tools may be effective in measuring the center of pressure (COP) and asymmetry, as well as predicting future motor impairment. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate existing evidence regarding use of pressure mats or force plates for measuring COP and asymmetry in preterm infants, to determine how measures differ between preterm and fullterm infants and if these tools appropriately predict future motor impairment. The consulted databases included PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and CINAHL. The quality of the literature and the risk of bias were assessed utilizing the ROB2: revised Cochrane risk-of bias tool. Nine manuscripts met the criteria for review. The postural control tools included were FSA UltraThin seat mat, Conformat Pressure-Sensitive mat, Play and Neuro-Developmental Assessment, and standard force plates. Studies demonstrated that all tools were capable of COP assessment in preterm infants and support the association between the observation of reduced postural complexity prior to the observation of midline head control as an indicator of future motor delay. Postural measurement tools provide quick and objective measures of postural control and asymmetry. Based on the degree of impairment, these tools may provide an alternative to standardized assessments that may be taxing to the preterm infant, inaccessible to therapists, or not sensitive enough to capture motor delays.

Objective This study assessed the feasibility of corticomuscular coherence measurement during a goal-directed task in children with unilateral cerebral palsy while establishing optimal experimental parameters. Methods Participants (Manual Ability Classification System levels I-III) completed a submaximal isometric goal-directed grip task during simultaneous electroencephalography and electromyography (EMG) acquisition. Results All participants (n = 11, 6 females, mean age 11.3 ±2.4 years) completed corticomuscular coherence procedures. Of the 40 trials obtained per extremity, an average of 29 (n = 9) and 27 (n = 10) trials were retained from the more- and less-affected extremities, respectively. Obtaining measurement stability required an average of 28 trials per extremity. Conclusion Findings from this work support the feasibility of corticomuscular coherence measurement in children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Acquiring 28 to 40 corticomuscular coherence trials per extremity is ideal. The experimental parameters established in this work will inform future corticomuscular coherence application in pediatric unilateral cerebral palsy.