A Novel Music-Based Device for Hand Motor Skill Rehabilitation of Children with Cerebral Palsy
摘要
Music therapy positively impacts individuals with various disabilities, such as cerebral palsy (CP), and has been proven to relax muscles and reduce spasticity, in turn improving movement and comfort. Approximately 60% of children diagnosed with CP encounter difficulties related to their arm and hand functions and require repetitive exercises which is especially tedious and frustrating for young children. Maintaining their motivation and focus throughout hand-skill training sessions can be challenging. Though there have been several therapeutic interventions, auditory feedback and rhythmic auditory stimulation have emerged as the most promising for improving motor skills in children with CP. mCODe, a “Multi-User Centric Codesign” approach proposed by Venkatesh and Acharya (2023), was undertaken to design a purposeful musical experience seamlessly integrated into the therapeutic framework, in collaboration with special educators and music therapists. A therapeutic, multi-modal device for training children with CP in gross to fine hand motor movements such as press, tap, rotate, squeeze, twist, push, and pull was designed, prototyped, and evaluated by experts. The device has provision for tracking the progress and customization in auditory experience with respect to tone, rhythm, sound-level, and types of auditory cues with the intention to create a positive association with therapy sessions by carefully curating auditory experience that is emotionally resonant. This paper presents an application of mCoDe to design an intervention wherein purposeful musical experiences are seamlessly integrated into the therapeutic framework for children with CP.