• Accomplishments
• Contact

• Research
• Spinal Cord Injury Projects
• Traumatic Brain Injury Projects
  • Assessment & Intervention for Mild TBI
  • Can Eye Movements Predict Persistent Problems in Paediatric Mild TBI?
  • Cognitive and Neural Substrates of Socially Maladaptive Behaviours in Adolescents with Traumatic Brain Injury
  • DECRA Trial (DECompressive CRAniectomy Trial)
  • Enhancing Neurogenesis Post -TBI
  • Fluid Resuscitation in TBI
  • Headstart: Multi-family Groups for Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Hypothermia in Childhood TBI (HiTBIC)
  • Improving the functional communication ability of adults with TBI
  • Long term consequences of childhood head injury - 15 year follow-up
  • Longitudinal Hippocampal Study
  • Measuring the Impact of TBI on People's Lives
  • Mobility Following Childhood TBI
  • New Treatments for Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
  • Neural Basis of Communication Disorder in Children
  • Neurotrauma Tissue/Fluid Bank
  • Normoglycaemia in Intensive Care Traumatic Brain Injury Study (NICE-TBI)
  • Preventing Neuronal Cell Death Following Brain Trauma
  • Prevention and Treatment of Social Problems Following TBI
  • Rehabilitation of Attention Following TBI
  • Role of Tissue Type Plasminogen Activator
  • TBI in Older Adults
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Treatment in Depression After Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Traumatic Hypoxia and Cerebral Inflammation
  • Virtual Reality and Upper Limb Function Following TBI in Children
• Targeted Initiatives
• Completed TBI and SCI Projects
• Program Grants

Virtual Reality and Upper Limb Function Following TBI in Children

An investigation of the clinical utility of virtual reality technology to improve the upper limb function of children with traumatic brain injury

Chief Investigator: Ms Jane Galvin, Ms Melinda Randall
Lead Organisation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
VNI Funding: $162,388
Project Start Date: 5-May-08

Project Summary:

There is emerging evidence that virtual reality (VR) therapy is effective in adults following stroke or spinal cord injury. There is also early pilot data showing that VR therapy can be effective for increasing playfulness and upper limb use in children with cerebral palsy. However, there is a lack of research showing whether VR therapy is effective for upper limb rehabilitation following paediatric traumatic brain injury. This study aims to develop clinical protocols for the use of VR in paediatric rehabilitation. This study also aims to investigate how effective and feasible VR is as a tool for upper limb rehabilitation in paediatric TBI. We will undertake a systematic review of the literature that will help to inform the development of the clinical protocols. A trial of these clinical protocols will then be undertaken and preliminary data obtained. The knowledge gained from this study will improve the clinician’s understanding of which interventions are effective in improving functional outcomes for children.