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ABSTRACT
Objectives
To investigate the operational competences screen navigation and dwell function underlying eye gaze performance, and the relation of dystonia and choreoathetosis with eye gaze performance in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy (DCP).
Methods
During a 5-week intervention, ten participants with DCP played eye gaze video games daily for 30 minutes. Six games were used to assess task performance, fixation count, and eye movement accuracy during four measurements. Dystonia and choreoathetosis were evaluated using the Dyskinesia Impairment Scale.
Results
Eye gaze performance improved over time (p = .013). Moderate to strong within-subject correlations were found between eye movement accuracy and task performance, and between eye movement accuracy and fixation count. No significant correlations were found with the movement disorders.
Conclusions
Eye gaze technology shows great potential to be a successful computer interface for children with severe DCP, thereby potentially improving their communication skills, participation levels, and quality of life.
Acknowledgments
This project was supported by a grant of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDV, We-Lab for HTM, project nr. 1047). We thank all participants and the involved special education schools for children with motor disabilities: Dominiek Savio, Gits; Ten Dries, Landegem; Heder, Antwerp; and Sint-Lodewijk, Kwatrecht. Wholehearted gratitude to Patrick Hellin, Valerie D’hoker, Els Linsen, Peggy Firlefijn, and other therapists for their invaluable help.
Declaration of Interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
Supplementary Material
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.