Implementing Powered Mobility in Early Childhood Settings for Children With Cerebral Palsy

Conditions

• Assistive Technology
• Cerebral Palsy Children
• Developmental Disability
• Early Intervention
• Motor Disabilities
• Rehabilitation

Eligibility Criteria

Sex

ALL

Age

12 Months - N/A

Healthy Volunteers

Not accepted

Interventions

• Therapist Training on Powered Mobility Implementation — BEHAVIORAL
  Therapists participate in a structured, evidence-based training on implementing powered mobility interventions for children with cerebral palsy (GMFCS IV-V) in early childhood settings. Training consists of one to two days of in-person sessions focused on knowledge transfer, therapist confidence, self-efficacy, and use of caregiver coaching and routines-based strategies. The training is co-designed with a community advisory board of administrators, therapists, and caregivers to ensure contextual relevance and feasibility.
• Powered Mobility Intervention for Child-Caregiver Dyads — BEHAVIORAL
  Following therapist training, participating therapists deliver a six-month powered mobility intervention to children with cerebral palsy (GMFCS IV-V) and their caregivers. Therapists conduct twelve biweekly home-based sessions focused on providing mobility opportunities, caregiver coaching, and integration of powered mobility into daily routines. The intervention uses the Permobil Explorer Mini device to facilitate self-initiated mobility. All sessions are audio-video recorded for fidelity monitoring and qualitative analysis.

Study Details

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a therapist training program can help providers in Part C Early Childhood Settings use powered mobility (PM) with young children who have cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels IV-V). The study will also look at whether this training is practical and useful for therapists, families, and children. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Can therapists successfully use the training to provide powered mobility interventions in home and early childhood settings? 2. Do families and children find the intervention acceptable and helpful? 3. What benefits do children show in mobility, participation, and engagement after using powered mobility? In this study, therapists and families will: 1. Take part in a training program about how to use powered mobility with young children 2. Use powered mobility devices (Permobil Explorer Mini) with children during everyday routines 3. Complete surveys, interviews, and observations about their experiences

Key Dates

First listed

Oct 24, 2025

Start date

Oct 1, 2025

Status verified

Jun 2026

Primary completion

Sep 30, 2028

Completion

Jun 30, 2029

Study Design

Enrollment

70 participants (estimated)

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

SEQUENTIAL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Arms

• Experimental: Powered Mobility Intervention
  This mixed-methods feasibility trial includes one experimental arm in which all participants receive the powered mobility intervention following a structured therapist training. Trained physical and occupational therapists participate in one to two days of in-person training to learn how to implement the intervention with children with cerebral palsy (GMFCS IV-V) and their caregivers in early childhood settings. Following training, therapists identify eligible child-caregiver dyads from their caseloads and conduct twelve biweekly home-based intervention sessions over six months. Each session focuses on mobility opportunities, caregiver coaching, and integration of powered mobility into daily routines using the Permobil Explorer Mini device. All sessions are video recorded for fidelity monitoring and qualitative analysis.
• No Intervention: Needs Assessment
  Understanding barriers and facilitators to power mobility use through a mixed-methods approach: Survey, observations, and listening sessions/focus groups
• No Intervention: Co-designing Implementation Strategies
  Prioritizing determinants, co-developing implementation strategies and evaluation measures, co-developing therapist training to be piloted in Aim 3.

Primary Outcome Measure

Intervention Acceptability, Appropriateness, and Feasibility [ Time Frame: Post-intervention (after 6 months of intervention). ]

Central Contacts

• Bethany M Sloane, PT, DPT, PhD
  503-494-3232
  [email protected]

Locations (3)

Find similar trials in Hillsboro, OR

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