This matched-pairs, clinical controlled trial evaluated the effects of a school-based, partial body-weight-supported treadmill training (PBWSTT) programme, conducted twice a week for 6 weeks, on the walking speed and endurance of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Pairs of children (10 males, four females; mean age 8y 10mo [SD 2y 6mo], range 5-14y) matched for sex, age, type of CP (athetoid quadriplegia, n=6; spastic quadriplegia, n=6; spastic diplegia, n=2), and Gross Motor Function Classification System level (10 at Level IV, four at Level III) were allocated to the experimental or control group. Compared with the control group, the seven treadmill-training participants increased their self-selected walking speed over 10 metres (Mann-Whitney U=9.00, z=-1.98, p=0.048; mean difference 4.21m/min). A trend was also found for increased distance walked over ground in 10 minutes (t[12]=1.88, p=0.083; mean difference 19.81m). A relatively short PBWSTT programme can improve the walking speed of children with CP and moderate to severe disabilities. Walking endurance might also improve in some children. Treadmill training seems to be a useful gait training option for children with CP, and it seems feasible to conduct such a programme within a school environment.The development of efficient and independent walking is an important therapeutic goal for many children with cerebral palsy (CP). As a result of impairments such as spasticity, muscle weakness, and postural instability, as much as 90% of children with CP have difficulty in walking. 1,2 Reduced walking speed 3,4 and endurance 5,6 are two of the main functional problems, particularly in children with more severe disabilities. 7 Current theories of motor learning suggest that task-specific repetitive practice can improve activities such as walking in people with neurological disorders such as CP. 8,9 Consequently, there has been a growing interest in the effects of treadmill training programmes, particularly with partial body-weight support, for people with neurological disorders.In people without CP, partial body-weight-supported treadmill training (PBWSTT) has been shown to have a range of benefits. For example, a recent review 10 found a trend for people with stroke to increase their over-ground walking speed and walking endurance after participation in a PBW-STT programme. In people with incomplete spinal cord injury, PBWSTT has been shown to increase walking speed 11,12 and endurance, 12 while decreasing oxygen costs, 11 whereas in people with Parkinson's disease, PBWSTT has been found to increase walking speed and stride length. 13 Despite increasing clinical interest, few published articles have reported the effects of PBWSTT on children with CP. [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] One article 14 documented the effects of a 12-week programme on 10 children (mean age 11y 6mo, range 6-18y; three had spastic diplegia, four had spastic quadriplegia, and three had spastic quadriplegia and ataxia) using a single-group, pre-post research design. In an attempt to control...

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The BESSI is a promising brief teacher-report screening tool that appears suitable for children aged 2.5 to 5.5 and provides a broader perspective upon school readiness than previous measures.