| Objective: To evaluate the effect of early occupational therapy on cognitive development of children with global developmental delay. Methods: Sixty-two children with global developmental delay were divided into observation group (n=38) and control group (n=24). Observation group accepted early occupational therapy and general comprehensive rehabilitation therapies, such as exercise training, low-frequency cerebellum electrical stimulation, hydrotherapy and so on, while the control group only accepted the comprehensive rehabilitation therapy. Each group was assessed with Gesell developmental scale (GDS) and Peabody developmental motor scale (PDMS) before and 12 weeks after treatment. Results: The scores of GDS and PDMS in the observation group and the control group were significantly increased after 12-week treatment (P<0.05), more significantly in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05). At different age states, and before and after treatment, the GDS scores showed significant differences in the observation group (P<0.05). The difference in GDS scores was greatest in the children less than one year old before and after treatment. Conclusion: Early occupational therapy may improve the intellectual development of children with global developmental delay. The earlier the better. |
