Although motor imagery has been pointed as a promising strategy for the rehabilitation of children with neurological disorders, information on their development throughout childhood and adolescence is still scarce. For instance, it is still unclear at what age they reach a development comparable to the motor imagery performance observed in adults. Herein we used a mental rotation task to assess motor imagery in 164 typically developing children and adolescents, which were divided into four age groups (6–7, 8–9, 10–11, and 12–13 years) and 30 adults. The effects of biomechanical constraints, accuracy, and reaction time of the mental rotation task were considered. ANOVA showed that all groups had the effect of biomechanical restrictions of the mental rotation task. We found a group effect for accuracy [F_{(4, 180)} = 17,560; p < 0.00; η² = 3.79] and reaction time [F_{(4, 180)} = 17.5; p < 0.001, η² = 0.615], with the results of children groups 6–7 and 8–9 years being significantly lower than the other groups (p < 0.05). In all the analyses, there were no differences regarding accuracy and reaction time among the participants of the age groups 10–11 and 12–13 years and adults (p > 0.05). Concluding, children aged 6–7 years were able to perform motor imagery, motor imagery ability improved as the participants' ages increased, and children aged 10 and over-performed similarly to adults.

To analyze the effectiveness of sports-focused interventions on the participation of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP).Study searches were conducted on EMBASE, PubMed, Scielo, PEDro...

Purpose: To describe the patterns, preferences, and predictors of participation in leisure activities of children and young people with physical disabilities from Brazil. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that included 50 children/young people with physical disabilities from the southeast of Brazil. The children were assessed using the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities. Results: Children/young people participated in an average of 38% of the activities, with a greater number and frequency of informal, recreational, social, and self-improvement activities. The average frequency of participation in the activities was twice in the previous 4 months. The enjoyment in the participated activities was high. There was a greater preference for recreational, social, and physical activities. Age and functional classification were predictors of participation. Conclusion: This study of children with disabilities from the southeast of Brazil supports studies in other low- and middle-income countries, demonstrating low diversity and intensity of participation in leisure activities, but with high levels of enjoyment.

Currently, there is no intervention model for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that addresses all levels and factors of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, WHO). The most researched programs focus on naturalistic, developmental and behavioral approaches to socio-communication. Less attention has been paid to motor and environmental reactivity aspects (behavior/interest restriction and sensory reactivity). The evidence rationale for the Global Integration Method (MIG, “Método de Integração Global”), a model addressing sensorimotor reactivity in addition to socio-communication, is presented. MIG is an integrative, interdisciplinary, family-oriented intervention and naturalistic program that addresses all levels and moderating factors of ASD’s impact. MIG’s theoretical rationale is based on the predictive coding impairment and embodied cognition hypotheses. MIG incorporates both bottom-up (flexible therapeutic suit, social-motor synchronization) and top-down (schematic social information processing, narratives, imagery) strategies to promote the building and use of accurate, flexible and context-sensitive internal predictive models. MIG is based on the premises that predictive coding improves both socio-communication and environmental reactivity, and that the postural stabilization provided by the flexible therapeutic suit frees information processing resources for socio-cognitive learning. MIG builds on interdisciplinary, professionally and parentally mediated work based on behavioral principles of intensive training in a situated environment.