Clinical trial · Exercise · 12 Nov 2026
In 49 preschool children with bilateral cerebral palsy, 50 hours of motor training lined up with a higher gross-motor score
Source: JAMA Network Open
What the research found
A multicenter randomized trial was published on 12 November 2026. Forty-nine preschool children with bilateral cerebral palsy were assigned to 2 weeks (50 hours) of hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy that includes the lower limbs, or to 2 weeks of usual motor activity. Mean age was 40.18 months (standard deviation 11.53). Preschool children are under 40. 18 were girls and 31 were boys, so the gender tag is all. The primary score was the Gross Motor Function Measure-66. From baseline to 3 months, the mean change was 5.01 logits (standard deviation 2.52) in the training group and 0.70 (standard deviation 1.98) in the usual-activity group. The adjusted mean difference was 4.33 logits (95 percent CI 3.03 to 5.62, P<0.001). The both-hands assessment also favored training (adjusted mean difference 5.15, 95 percent CI 2.23 to 8.08, P<0.001). A mobility domain of a disability inventory differed by 2.27 (0.20 to 4.33, P=0.03). A parent-rated performance score differed by 3.55 (2.86 to 4.24, P<0.001). Registry NCT04020354. A small trial in preschool children. DOI 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.43492. Not medical advice.
Evidence level: Clinical trial. This is among the stronger kinds of evidence, but one study rarely settles a question.
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