Effects of an HABIT-ILE-Based Intervention in Children With Cerebral Palsy (UEM-HABITILE)

March 28, 2026 updated by: Vanesa Abuín, Universidad Europea de Madrid

Effects of Intensive Motor Control-Based Therapy for Upper and Lower Extremities in Children With Cerebral Palsy

This interventional study will evaluate the effects of an intensive HABIT-ILE-based camp on cardiorespiratory measures and body composition in children with cerebral palsy. Although intensive motor control-based therapies such as HABIT/HABIT-ILE have shown functional benefits, the novelty of this study is the assessment of energy expenditure during functional tasks and post-intervention changes in body composition. Participants will attend a summer camp-format intervention delivering 90 hours of upper and lower extremity training over 15 days (6 hours/day), supervised by trained rehabilitation staff in a playful, progressive group setting. The program includes bimanual activities, gait and stair tasks, functional strengthening, and whole-body games, with fatigue prevention strategies.Assessments will be performed at baseline and immediately after the camp in July 2027, with follow-up at 6 months (January 2028). Outcomes include functional performance, parent-reported function, low-intensity task-related energy expenditure measured in a physiology laboratory, and body composition measured by DEXA at Universidad Europea de Madrid

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Children with cerebral palsy frequently present limitations in upper and lower extremity function that affect mobility, daily activities, and participation. Intensive motor control-based approaches, particularly Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy (HABIT) and Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy Including Lower Extremity (HABIT-ILE), have shown functional benefits in this population. In prior HABIT/HABIT-ILE programs, improvements in upper limb function have been reported, and benefits may persist over time after the intervention. In addition to motor impairment, children with cerebral palsy may be especially vulnerable to sedentary behavior and related health consequences. The present study is based on the rationale that intensive whole-body functional training may improve not only motor performance but also physiological efficiency during functional tasks. The main novelty of this study is not the intervention format itself, but the evaluation of task-related energy expenditure and post-intervention body composition changes after an intensive HABIT-ILE-based summer camp.This study will implement a summer camp-format intensive intervention in children with cerebral palsy, modeled on previously implemented intensive camp experiences. Participants will receive 90 hours of therapy over 15 days (6 hours/day), delivered by trained interventionists (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, supervised students, and volunteers under professional supervision). The intervention will include bimanual upper limb activities; lower extremity and mobility training (e.g., walking on different surfaces, treadmill walking, stair negotiation); functional strengthening through activity-based tasks; and whole-body playful activities (e.g., dance and sports games), with progressive difficulty tailored to each child's performance. Activities will be delivered in small groups (approximately 4-6 children) to promote motivation and peer interaction, and the program will be organized to prevent excessive fatigue.Outcome assessments will include functional measures for upper and lower extremity performance and parent-/tutor-reported functional perception. The protocol also includes low-intensity task-related energy expenditure assessment using physiological monitoring (gas analysis and electrocardiographic monitoring during functional tasks such as comfortable walking) in the physiology laboratory, and body composition assessment using DEXA at Universidad Europea de Madrid. Assessments will be performed at baseline and immediately after the camp in July 2027, with follow-up assessments at 6 months (January 2028). To improve measurement consistency, pre/post testing will be performed by the same evaluator, and test sessions may be recorded for review; the evaluator is intended to be blinded to the intervention.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Children with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy (hemiparesis or diparesis).
  • Age 6 to 13 years.
  • Moderate cognitive impairment or cognitive status compatible with the ability to follow verbal instructions.
  • Ability to participate in an intensive summer camp-format rehabilitation program.
  • Parent/legal guardian able to provide informed consent and complete parent-/tutor-reported outcome measures.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Medical or orthopedic condition that contraindicates participation in intensive physical rehabilitation activities.
  • Unstable neurological or medical condition (e.g., uncontrolled seizures) that may interfere with safe participation.
  • Severe cognitive or behavioral impairment preventing comprehension of basic verbal instructions or safe participation in group activities.
  • Contraindication to study assessment procedures, including physiological testing or DEXA body composition assessment.
  • Participation in another concurrent intensive rehabilitation program during the study comparison period.
  • Any condition that, in the investigators' judgment, may compromise safety, adherence, or outcome assessment validity.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Cerebral palsy HABIT-ILE Intensive therapy Pediatric rehabilitation Bimanual training Functional mob
Children with cerebral palsy will participate in a summer camp-format intensive rehabilitation program based on HABIT-ILE principles. The intervention includes upper and lower extremity motor training delivered in a playful, progressive group setting by trained interventionists under professional supervision. The program is administered over 15 days, 6 hours/day (90 total hours), with activities adapted to participant performance and fatigue prevention strategies.
Behavioral: HABIT-ILE
Participants will receive a 90-hour intensive intervention (6 hours/day for 15 days) in a summer camp format. The intervention includes bimanual upper-limb activities; lower-extremity and mobility training (e.g., walking on different surfaces, treadmill walking, stair negotiation); activity-based strengthening; and whole-body playful activities (e.g., dance and sports games). New technologies (e.g., videogame-based activities and robot-assisted activities) may be incorporated within a participatory and progressively challenging framework. The intervention will be delivered in small groups (approximately 4 to 6 children) by trained physiotherapists, occupational therapists, supervised students, and volunteers. The intervention schedule will be planned to avoid excessive fatigue.
No Intervention: Wait-List Control
Children with cerebral palsy assigned to the wait-list control group will not receive the intensive HABIT-ILE-based summer camp intervention during the initial study comparison period. They will continue with their usual care and will be offered participation in the camp intervention next year, according to program availability and study logistics.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in task-related energy expenditure during low-intensity functional activity
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in energy expenditure during low-intensity functional tasks (e.g., comfortable walking), assessed in the physiology laboratory using gas analysis and electrocardiographic monitoring during task performance.
Baseline, 15 days after, 6 months after

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in body composition
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in body composition assessed using DEXA at Universidad Europea de Madrid.
Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in manual function (Assisting Hand Assessment, AHA)
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in effectiveness of use of the affected hand during bimanual performance, assessed with the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA).
Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in unilateral hand function performance (Jebsen-Taylor Test of Hand Function)
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in unilateral hand function performance, assessed by time to complete standardized manual tasks using the Jebsen-Taylor Test of Hand Function
Baseline, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in walking capacity (6-Minute Walk Test)
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in unilateral hand function performance, assessed by time to complete standardized manual tasks using the Jebsen-Taylor Test of Hand Function
Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in gait speed (10-Meter Walk Test)
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in gait speed, assessed by time required to walk 10 meters during the 10-Meter
Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in functional mobility (Timed Up and Go)
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in functional mobility, assessed by the Timed Up and Go test (time required to stand up, walk, turn, return, and sit down)
Baseline, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in gross motor function (GMFM)
Time Frame: Baselilne, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in gross motor function (GMFM)
Baselilne, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in functional balance (Pediatric Balance Scale)
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after and 1 month after
Change in functional balance (Pediatric Balance Scale)
Baseline, 15 days after and 1 month after
Change in parent-/tutor-reported functional performance (Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, COPM)
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in parent-/tutor-reported functional performance (Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, COPM)
Baseline, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in disability and function (Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, PEDI)
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in disability and function (Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, PEDI)
Baseline, 15 days after, 6 months after
Change in parent-reported manual ability ABILHAND-Kids)
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in parent-reported manual ability (ABILHAND-Kids )
Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in parent-reported locomotion difficulty (ABILOCO-Kids)
Time Frame: Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after
Change in parent-reported locomotion difficulty (ABILOCO-Kids)
Baseline, 15 days after and 6 months after

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Universidad Europea de Madrid

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 1, 2027

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 24, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 28, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 2, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 2, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 28, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • UEM-HABITILE-CAMP

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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