Tele-care in times of social isolation: effect of a home intervention protocol directed at activity, participation and the environmental context on the functionality of infants at biological risk: randomized controlled clinical trial

• Grant number: 20/02818-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2021
• End date: February 29, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Nelci Adriana Cicuto Ferreira Rocha
• Grantee: Camila Resende Gâmbaro Lima
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Contextualization: Interventions in the first year of life are recommended for infants who have some biological risk for developmental delay, due to the enhancement of neural plasticity and the consequent possibility of better results in functionality. However, with the implementation of social distance from the Covid-19 pandemic, many at-risk infants are without therapy. An alternative in this situation concerns tele-care, therapy in which evaluations and interventions are carried out online, through instructions given to the caregivers of these children. Still, it is essential that these interventions are inserted into a biopsychosocial model, assessing the influence on the components of the body's structure and function, on activity and participation and on contextual factors. Objective: to verify the effect of a remote tele-care protocol composed of intervention and home orientation directed to the task and the context, performed by the parents, comparing it with the standard care guidance, regarding the functionality of infants with biological risk for developmental delay. Methods: Randomized controlled trial. Infants at risk for developmental delay, with a corrected age of 3 to 12 months, will be included, divided into two groups: control group (general guidelines) and experimental group (specific home guidance). Infants will be assessed for body structure and function (General Movements Assessment); activity (Infant Motor Profile; Alberta Infant Motor Scale and Sensory Profile); participation (Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure); and contextual factors (Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment; Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development; Depression, anxiety and stress scale; Social restriction questionnaire - COVID-19 and Social Support Scale The intervention will have an 8-week period, and pre- and post-evaluations will be carried out during this period. All assessment and intervention procedures will be carried out online, with instructions to parents for home therapy. Statistical analysis will be guided according to the normal distribution of data, and a level of significance of 5% will be adopted. Expected results: It is expected that after the intervention the experimental group will show greater gains in motor skills, as well as greater participation and interaction between caregiver-baby. It is also expected that the environment in which the child is inserted become richer and more stimulating. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LIMA, CAMILA RESENDE GAMBARO; DOS SANTOS, ADRIANA NEVES; DOS SANTOS, MARIANA MARTINS; MORGAN, CATHERINE; ROCHA, NELCI ADRIANA CICUTO FERREIRA. Tele-care intervention performed by parents involving specific task- environment- participation (STEP protocol) for infants at risk for developmental delay: protocol of randomized controlled clinical trial. BMC PEDIATRICS, v. 22, n. 1, JAN 20 2022. (20/02818-4)

GAMBARO LIMA, CAMILA RESENDE; FERRAZ DE ABREU, RAISSA WANDERLEY; VERDERIO, BRUNA NAYARA; BRUGNARO, BEATRIZ HELENA; DOS SANTOS, MARIANA MARTINS; DOS SANTOS, ADRIANA NEVES; MORGAN, CATHERINE; FERREIRA ROCHA, NELCI ADRIANA CICUTO. Early Intervention Involving Specific Task-Environment-Participation (STEP) Protocol for Infants at Risk: A Feasibility Study. PHYSICAL & OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN PEDIATRICS, v. N/A, p. 18-pg., 2022-11-03. (20/02818-4)

ARNONI, JOICE LUIZA BRUNO; LIMA, CAMILA RESENDE GAMBARO; VERDERIO, BRUNA NAYARA; KLEINER, ANA FRANCISCA ROZIN; DE CAMPOS, ANA CAROLINA; ROCHA, NELCI ADRIANA CICUTO FERREIRA. Active Videogame Training Combined with Conventional Therapy Alters Body Oscillation in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. GAMES FOR HEALTH JOURNAL, v. N/A, p. 10-pg., 2022-06-10. (20/02818-4, 16/10396-7)

GAMBARO LIMA, CAMILA RESENDE; VERDERIO, BRUNA NAYARA; FERRAZ DE ABREU, RAISSA WANDERLEY; BRUGNARO, BEATRIZ HELENA; DOS SANTOS, ADRIANA NEVES; DOS SANTOS, MARIANA MARTINS; CICUTO FERREIRA ROCHA, NELCI ADRIANA. Telemonitoring of motor skills using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale for at-risk infants in the first year of life. JOURNAL OF TELEMEDICINE AND TELECARE, v. N/A, p. 10-pg., 2022-06-06. (19/13716-0, 20/02818-4)