Multisensory Full-Body Training for Stroke Children: The Case of Climbing - Abstract
Post-stroke plasticity has received much attention from neuroscientists and has been deeply studied in adult populations. Despite this progress, plasticity mechanisms and implications for rehabilitation in children likely differ from later ages and are generally lacking. We therefore propose a non-exhaustive review of pediatric stroke rehabilitation, also related to multisensory processing. We focus both on the traditional rehabilitation approach and a more innovative process, with a specific focus on climbing, an activity chosen for its intrinsically multisensory features. We also have also deepened the use of multimodal technologies, to improve engagement and participation in children with variable disability. At the end of the review, we present guidelines to create more usable technologies that produce quantifiable benefits. That can serve as a common framework for structuring and facilitating interdisciplinary research in the field. As the review clearly shows, the use of multisensory skills, also based on intelligent technology, combined with physical activities, can improve engagement in pediatric rehabilitation for children with pediatric stroke.