Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT)

CIMT Program

Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CI Therapy) is an intense series of treatments that teach the brain to “retrain” itself to increase motor movement.

The unique approach focuses on casting a child’s unaffected arm, which results in him/her using the weaker one during a succession of kid-friendly and engaging exercises.

Typically, children are scheduled for 3 hours daily,4 days weekly for 3 weeks, depending on the results of screening prior to therapy.

What does CIMT involve?

During the initial visit, a removable case is made for the child to wear on the unaffected side for 24 hours per day while participating in CIMT.

Each day, the child will participate in activities to improve:

• Strength and Coordination
• Use of arm, hand and fingers
• Hand function (ie fine motor coordination, grasp, finger isolation)
• Self-care skills (ie dressing and feeding)
• Range of Motion
• Social skills, peer interaction
• Mobility
• Safety

Roles of the CI Therapy team

The staff: Occupational Therapist who has received extensive training in providing CI Therapy as well as years of experience working with children.

The children: Those who benefit most from this program are those who are limited in the use of one arm and hand, at least 2 years of age, able to follow directions and maintain attention for at least 15 minutes.

The family: Family members/caregivers are expected to participate in the program in order to help their child continue to use his/her arm and hand in everyday activities.

Who does it help?

CIMT is effective in children who have limited movement on one side of the body due to diagnoses such as:

• Cerebral Palsy
• Stroke
• Head Injury
• Brachial Plexus Injury

What does it cost?

Insurance or Medicaid Is billed directly for this program. Families are responsible for deductibles, copayments and any portion of the program not covered by their policy.

 Contact us today to see if CIMT is right for you.