Effect of Goal Directed Physiotherapy vs a Goal Directed Home Program in AtRisk Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Goal directed physiotherapy is a task oriented therapy based on neurodevelopmental principles used in rehabilitation process. The aim of this study is to compare the neurodevelopmental effects of early goal directed physiotherapy with a detailed goal directed home program in infants with risk. Methods: Forty at-risk infants (18 male, 22 female, median age 5.69 mo) were assigned to early goal directed physiotherapy and detailed goal directed home program group randomely. Both early goal directed physiotherapy and detailed goal directed home program continued for 12 weeks. The outcome measures were Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination, Alberta Infant Motor Scale and Goal Attainment Scale. Results: Significant difference was found in Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination in early goal directed physiotherapy group (p<0.05) whereas no difference was found in Alberta Infant Motor Scale and Goal Attainment Scale between the groups (p>0.05). In all test results the effect size of early goal directed physiotherapy was more than detailed goal directed home program. Conclusions: According to our results, though Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination results are better in the early goal directed physiotherapy group, it can be concluded that if parents had good, attainable and eligible guidelines received from the physiotherapist, detailed goal directed home program is also a useful approach in rehabilitation programs of infants with risk.