Current Research
Treadmill training in infants at risk for mild cerebral palsy
Contact: Rosa Angulo Barroso (rangulo@umich.edu)
Dale Ulrich (ulrichd@umich.edu)
The Center for Motor Behavior & Pediatric Disabilities at the University of Michigan
is recruiting potential participants, 6-13 months old, for a study investigating the use
of the treadmill with infants with muscle problems and motor delays to determine whether
this intervention will improve the onset and quality of their independent walking. Previous
research has demonstrated that involving parents in treadmill practice with their infants
with Down syndrome results in earlier onset of walking. If your infant is 13 months of age
or younger and has muscle problems and/or motor delays, he/she may be eligible for this
study. However, certain restrictions apply. In this study, your infant will be assigned to
an experimental group (treadmill training) or to a control group (no treadmill training,
only treadmill testing). In either case, we will visit you in your home every month to see
how your infant performs on the treadmill as well as give you suggestions on how to promote
earlier motor development in your child. We will also evaluate the physical activity level
of your child. Your infant will be enrolled in the study until he/she has 6 months of
independent walking experience or turns 36 months of age. This program is free of charge.
If you are interested in volunteering for this study or have questions about the study and
live within 2.5 hours of Ann Arbor, Michigan, please contact Rosa Angulo, Ph.D. or Dale
Ulrich, Ph.D. at (734) 936-2607 or send an email at cmbpd@umich.edu. We are hoping to
determine that the treadmill can be used as an early intervention to improve independent
walking in infants with muscle problems and motor delays. We also hope that the results
will help pediatricians make an earlier diagnosis of infants at risk for cerebral palsy.
All Current Research
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