Goal-Directed Therapist-Guided Play-Based Intervention in Children With Cerebral Palsy

The GD-TG-PBI used play to improve performance in targeted functional activities. The program was planned by a physiotherapist with 25 years' experience and an occupational therapist with six years' experience in play. The sessions were based on motor-learning principles supporting cortical plasticity. Individual-specific goals were transformed into play activities that increase occupational participation with regard to the child's abilities, needs, and learning potential. A top-down approach based on direct gamification was adapted without dividing it into components, instead of a component-based, bottom-up approach. Thus, a structured play program was created and an individual-specific intervention was applied in line with the occupational goals and detailed motor evaluations. Positive, active experiences facilitated the adaptation of the learned skills to daily life.