This month’s Research Fact Sheet is based on progress reports from two studies on the Adeli Suit funded by the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation. Since the studies have not been formally published, they are not referenced in the medical literature. We are taking this step because of the current interest in the Adeli Suit. The use of this methodology is said to provide assistance in performing a variety of motor activities.

The first study was conducted by Dr. Alexander Frank and his associates of the Motion Analysis Laboratory, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel. They recruited 24 children between the ages of 6 and 12 years of age who had cerebral palsy and a functional level of II(4 children), III (11 children), or IV (9 children) on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). In lay terms, these children ranged from those who could walk on even ground but had trouble running and jumping (Level II) to those who must rely on wheelchairs for mobility (Level IV). The patients were matched for age and other variables and randomly assigned to either a standard physical therapy program or to the Adeli Suit using the original Russian Protocol. Both groups were treated 5 days per week for two hours. Evaluation with a number of parameters showed marginal improvement in both groups that persisted over the following year. There was no statistical difference between the children who used the Adeli Suit and those who did not.

There was a trend for greater ambulatory efficiency in the children who were ambulatory without the need for wheelchair assistance and who used the Adeli Suit. The other study was conducted by Dr. Edward Dabrowski at the Children s Hospital of Michigan. They recruited 57 children who were randomized to control and treatment groups. All children received an hour of physical, occupational, and speech therapy three times a week for 8-10 weeks followed by a 4 week home program. The experimental group wore the Adeli Suit for the last 4 weeks of their therapy regimen.

Again it was shown that both groups improved and sustained the improvement, but without any statistical difference between the two groups. There was a trend for greater improvement in some function with the Adeli Suit. Conclusion:These studies show that a period of intensive therapy in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy can lead to improvement in a number of disabilities. However, they did not demonstrate that use of the Adeli Suit was helpful. Any effect is likely to be minor.

Level II: Children walk indoors and outdoors, and climb stairs holding onto a railing but experience limitations walking on uneven surfaces and inclines, and walking in crowds or confined spaces. Children have at best only minimal ability to perform gross motor skills such as running and jumping.

Level III: Children walk indoors or outdoors on a level surface with an assistive mobility device. Children may climb stairs holding onto a railing. Depending on upper limb function, children propel a wheelchair manually or are transported when traveling for long distances or outdoors on uneven terrain.

Level IV: Children may maintain levels of function achieved before age 6 or rely more on wheeled mobility at home, school, and in the community. Children may achieve self-mobility using a power wheelchair.