Objective: This study aimed at assessing how the addition of Nintendo Wii^™ (NW) system to the traditional therapy influences occupational performance, balance, and daily living activities in children with spastic hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy (CP). Materials and Methods: The present study is a single-blind and randomized trial involving 24 children aged 6–14 years, classified as level I or II on the Gross Motor Function Classification System. The children were allocated into two groups: an intervention and a control group, and their families participated in the study. The activity performance analysis of the children was undertaken by using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), functional balance was measured with the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS), and activities of daily living were assessed with Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI). Twenty-four children with CP were randomly divided into two groups: intervention (n = 12) and control group (n = 12). All children in both groups continued their traditional physiotherapy program twice a week, 45 minutes per session, whereas the participants in the intervention group, additionally, were trained with NW, two other days of the week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting for 30 minutes. Results: Self-care, mobility, PEDI total, PBS, and performance of COPM scores increased in the NW group after intervention. Self-care, mobility, and total PEDI increased in the control group as well. However, there was no statistically significant difference found between the groups, except for PBS (P < 0.05). Conclusions: NW contributed to the implementation of occupational performance, daily living activities, and functional balance. We recommend that NW could be used in the rehabilitation program to engage play-based activities with fun.

The study was planned to evaluate the effect of loss of hearing and vision on balance and gait in 60 children, 20 of whom had hearing loss (M age = 9.3 yr., SD = 0.9), 20 who were visually impaired (M age = 12.2 yr., SD = 2.5), and 20 controls with no disability (M age = 9.4 yr., SD = 0.6). Standing Balance subtests of the Southern California Sensory Integration Tests were used. Gait analysis was conducted on a powdered surface. When the gait analysis results of the three groups of children were compared, statistically significant differences were noted. Scores for the hearing impaired group were more like those of the control group than those of the visually impaired group. Results show that children with visual impairment had more problems with balance and gait than controls.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire (CP QOL). A total of 149 primary caregivers completed the final version of the CP QOL–Primary Caregivers and the Children Health Questionnaire (CHQ) for children 4–12 years old ( M age = 7.6 yr., SD = 2.5); 58 children with CP ages 9 to 12 years completed the CP QOL–Child and Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (Kid–KINDL) questionnaire. The Gross Motor Function Classification System was also used for the classification of the children with CP. Internal consistency (Cronbach's α) ranged between .63 and .93 for primary caregivers and .61 to .92 for the children's self-reports. Intra-class correlation coefficients ranged between .88 and .97 for primary caregivers and .91 to .98 for children. It was concluded that the Turkish version of CP QOL questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for assessing QOL in children with CP.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between handwriting skills and visual motor control among students with low vision and to compare this with the performance of their normal sighted peers. 42 students with low vision and 26 normal sighted peers participated. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Motor Proficiency Test-Short Form (BOTMP–SF), Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test's writing subtest, and a legibility assessment were administered. Significant differences were found between groups for students' writing speed, legibility, and visual motor control. Visual motor control was correlated both writing speed and legibility. Students with low vision had poorer handwriting performance, with lower legibility and slower writing speed. Writing performance time was related to visual motor control in students with low vision.

The effect of writing and reading training on preferred font type and size in low-vision students was evaluated in 35 children. An ophthalmologist confirmed low vision according to ICD-10–CM. Children identified the font type and size they could best read. The writing subtest of the Jebsen–Taylor Hand Function Test, read in 1 min., and legibility as measured by the number of readable written letters were used in evaluating the children. A writing and reading treatment program was conducted, beginning with the child's preferred font type and size, for 3 months, 2 days per week, for 45 min. per day at the child's school. Before treatment, the most preferred font type was Verdana; after treatment, the preferred font type and size changed. Students had gained reading and writing speed after training, but their writing legibility was not significantly better. Training might affect the preferred font type and size of students with low vision. Surprisingly, serif and sans-serif fonts were preferred about equally after treatment.