PURPOSE: Unilateral spatial neglect (USN), an inability to attend to one side of space or one’s body, is commonly reported in adult stroke survivors and is associated with poor outcomes. USN has been reported in pediatric survivors of stroke, but its impact is unclear. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize and evaluate the literature regarding USN in pediatric stroke survivors. METHODS: PRISMA guidelines, Scopus, CINAHL, PubMed, and other relevant databases were searched with terms including “children”, “stroke”, and “unilateral neglect”, with the ages of participants limited from to birth to 18 years. Data were extracted from studies on the clinical presentation of pediatric USN, the assessment of this condition, treatment options, or USN recovery. RESULTS: A total of 18 articles met inclusion criteria. There were no current prevalence data available. USN presents similarly in children compared to adults. Several different USN assessments were used, however, there were little data regarding treatment options. Furthermore, the data suggest that not all children fully recover. CONCLUSION: This systematic review reveals a lack of quality research to inform the assessment and treatment of children with USN. Although the literature spans decades, there remain no guidelines for standardized assessment or treatment. Similar to adults, paper-and-pencil testing may be less able to identify USN than functional assessments. It is likely that there are children who struggle with undetected USN-related deficits years after their injuries. With a rise of pediatric stroke survivors, there is a pressing need for clinicians to be educated about USN in children, clinical presentations, assessments, and treatments.
Date Presented 03/26/20
Neglect is a common impairment following stroke. It is important that clinicians assess stroke survivors for neglect, but comprehensive assessment guidelines do not exist. This study provides evidence regarding the concurrent validity of behavioral and virtual reality neglect assessments. These findings can help clinicians select a valid, sensitive, and feasible assessment that can be used in clinical practice.
Primary Author and Speaker: Emily Grattan
Additional Authors and Speakers: Emerson Hart
Date Presented 03/28/20
As the population ages and stroke prevalence rises, there will be an increased need for therapeutic interventions in the home that can help improve motor recovery in stroke survivors. A home-based video game protocol can help satisfy this need. This study evaluates the feasibility of and adherence to a home-based video game protocol designed specifically for stroke survivors. This has implications for the field of OT in the home, through telerehabilitation, and in clinics.
Primary Author and Speaker: Emerson Hart
Additional Authors and Speakers: Michelle Woodbury
Contributing Authors: Austen Hayes, Larry Hodges, Kevin Jett, Christian Finetto, Scott Hutchison
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.