The effect of motor learning-based telerehabilitation on quality of life of children with cerebral palsy during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: During the pandemic, the access of children with cerebral palsy (CP) to rehabilitation services was adversely affected due to the significant risk of infection. AIMS: We assessed whether the effect of a motor learning-based treatment provided via a telerehabilitation method on the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy during the COVID-19 period was equivalent to face-to-face treatment. METHODS: Distance exercises were explained by a physiotherapist to the patients in the telerehabilitation group, and motor learning-based treatment was applied by their families; the physiotherapist followed the sessions with video conferencing. Motor learning-based treatment was offered to the face-to-face group by a physiotherapist in the clinic. RESULTS: In the comparison between the groups, there was a significant difference in the parameters of play activities, pain-hurt, fatigue, eating activities, and speech communication activities after treatment (p<0.05). However, in the test performed by considering the nonhomogeneous parameters before the treatment, no time-dependent difference was found in the repeated measurements before and after the treatment in all parameters (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Motor learning-based treatment provided using the telerehabilitation method has a positive effect on the quality of life of children with CP, but the results are similar to face-to-face treatment.