Funding outcome

Hemiparetic cerebral palsy is a condition where one side of a child's body is weak due to brain injury around birth, often caused by stroke. This weakness makes it hard for children to use their affected hand and arm, limiting everyday activities like dressing, eating, and playing. Currently, there are few effective treatments, especially for children with severe weakness. Our study focuses on a new therapy that combines Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). BCI uses brain signals to control devices-in this case, to activate muscles through electrical stimulation. When a child imagines moving their wrist, the system detects this brain activity and stimulates the muscles to create actual movement. This approach helps rewire the brain and improve arm function by strengthening connections between the brain and muscles. Previous research shows BCI-FES works well for adults after stroke, but it has not been tested much in children. We completed a small pilot study with 13 children, showing that BCI-FES is safe, comfortable, and children can use it successfully. Building on this, the current study will test whether BCI-FES improves arm and hand function in children aged 12 to 17 with hemiparetic cerebral palsy. Participants will attend 10 to 12 sessions over three weeks, where they wear a special cap that reads brain signals while the system delivers muscle stimulation and visual feedback through animated hand movements. The study will measure how well the children improve in daily tasks, hand dexterity, and muscle activity, and check for any side effects. Our goal is to create a fun, engaging, and effective therapy to help children regain hand use and independence. If successful, this could lead to larger studies and new treatment options that use advanced technology to improve quality of life for children with cerebral palsy.