Improvement of Current Rehab
In order to see an improvement in static balance amongst DCD children, two interactive video games will be utilized as new therapeutic techniques; Table Tilt and Yoga Plus. Both of these games require the Wii Console and are part of the Wii Fit video games. The Wii Fit Balance Board that comes along with these video games is vital for the improvement in static balance. The balance board has been shown to provide accurate, valid, and reliable readings (Hubbard et al., 2014). It contains a number of sensors that allow for both side to side sway to be evaluated as well as front to back sway (Goble et al, 2014). The information picked up by the sensors can be visually presented to the participants on their television. The participants are provided information about their movement by creating an avatar that mimics the individual’s motion. As the child starts to play the game more frequently, the console is also able to process their movement to a greater extent and provide external feedback. Feedback is given on how they can improve the quality of their movements, which encompasses knowledge of performance. Knowledge of result is also provided as a score is given based on how well the individual performed.
This treatment is targeted for children between the ages of 6 to 12 as DCD is usually diagnosed during childhood. It is important to provide a fun and interactive treatment at an early age in order to see a greater chance of improvement in static balance throughout their lives. Compared to current treatment, the proposed treatment can be done at home; in a safe and comfortable environment. Further, since the proposed treatment is amusing and interactive, it is expected to have a greater adherence and commitment amongst children. Children will be expected to play each game for an hour a day, at least 5 days a week, for a total of 12 weeks. The first two weeks will be monitored by a kinesiologist. They are expected to engage in distributed practice, where the children will be instructed to take a 10-minute break after the completion of each game. This can prevent fatigue and therefore preserve arousal and their ability to learn. Both video games have different levels of difficulty and therefore can be tailored to the child’s level of dyspraxia. Hence, a child with a higher symptom severity is expected to start at a lower level and slowly progress to a higher level when improvements are seen.