Effects of a Dynamic Versus a Static Prone Stander on Bone Mineral Density and Behavior in Four Children with Severe Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

PURPOSE: In this case series, we examined how two types of prone stander affected bone mineral density and behavioral variables in four children of preschool age with severe cerebral palsy. METHODS: In phase one, four children of preschool age participated in an eight-week standing program, standing for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Two children stood in a conventional stander, and two stood in a new type of motorized (dynamic) stander that provides intermittent weight bearing. Measurements of bone mineral density before and after the program revealed increases in bone mineral density in both children who used a dynamic stander and one child who used a static stander. In phase two, all four subjects stood in both types of stander during three separate test sessions. RESULTS: Measures of behavioral variables, including behavioral state, reactivity, goal directedness, and attention span, indicated little or no effect of type of stander on behavior. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest there is potential value in additional research concerning the effects of static and dynamic standers on bone mineral density and behavior in children with cerebral palsy.