Abstract
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability that impacts children, with it estimated that there are 1 to 4 per 1,000 children in the world born with this disease. CP commonly results in reduced function in the child’s affected upper extremity (UE), leading to difficulty performing functional activities that require reach, grasp, and fine motor control, including several activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). A common intervention that has demonstrated promising results to improve function and occupational participation is constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) or modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT). The critically appraised topic (CAT) is aimed at determining the effectiveness of CIMT on improving upper extremity performance and function in children diagnosed with CP. The analysis showed that various styles of CIMT and mCIMT interventions and home exercise programs (HEPs) improved function and performance in the affected UE in children diagnosed with spastic or hemiparetic CP. In addition, interventions that included activities that are fun and motivating for children are critical for increased engagement and result in improved UE function. CIMT and mCIMT interventions require further investigation regarding studies that address measurement and evaluator bias, larger sample sizes, and uniform administration techniques to determine the consistency and longevity of the functional effects.