Clinical use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation for children with cerebral palsy, Part 2: Upper extremity.

This report, part 2 of a two-part case report on the clinical use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for children with cerebral palsy, documents the functional changes that occurred with the application of NMES to the upper extremity of two children, 1.6 and 6.7 years of age, with hemiplegia due to cerebral palsy. The NMES was used as an adjunct to a dynamic-systems, task-oriented physical therapy program. The youngest child showed immediate improvement in the ability to crawl and use both hands together. The older child demonstrated increased sensory awareness and use of the nonfunctional hand. Preliminary findings suggest that NMES may be a useful physical therapy tool for enhancing muscle strength increasing sensory awareness, and assisting motor learning and coordination.