With global recognition, HABIT-ILE (Hand and Arm Bimanual Intensive Training Including Lower Extremity) is a breakthrough functional, activity-based intensive intervention approach designed specifically for children with cerebral palsy. The goal-directed therapy program aims to strengthen children’s ability to use both hands together whilst developing body awareness and control, to be able to better perform activities of daily living.
Why do parents love HABIT-ILE?
Developed in Belgium in 2011, HABIT-ILE leverages the latest science in neuroplasticity and is clinically proven to provide significant functional improvement for children with unilateral and bilateral cerebral palsy, by targeting control and coordination between both upper and lower extremity movement, creating longer lasting results for the whole body.
The program runs over nine fun-filled days and cements new skills through stronger neural pathways.
Not from Sydney? Ask us about travel scholarship.
HABIT-ILE uses playful and engaging methods that will motivate your child in a fun and social environment. Activities and games are varied and based on the individualised goals each child/parent identifies during the pre-program assessment. Each activity is designed to target structured bimanual upper limb practice with increasing gross motor difficulty to ensure each task is matched to enable a ‘just right’ challenge.
HABIT-ILE is conveniently scheduled during school holidays for families to achieve their goals without interfering with school time.
Parents to drop off their child for a 9:00am start each day with pick up at 4:00pm.
Example of a daily structure:
- 9:00 am – Children are dropped off and start with table top activities
- 10:30 am – Children prepare morning tea
- 11:00 am – Goal-direct client lead gross motor or bimanual activity
- 12:30 pm – Children prepare lunch
- 1:15 pm – Goal-direct client lead gross motor or bimanual activity
- 2:30 pm – Children prepare afternoon tea
- 2:45 pm – Goal-direct client lead gross motor or bimanual activity
- 3:30pm – Group activity (e.g. yoga)
- 4:00 pm – Pick up time
- 66 hours of 1-on-1 therapy with a dedicated practitioner including pre- and post-assessment
- Personalised program based on your child’s interest and goals
- Lunch every day and a graduation ceremony for the whole family on day 9.
- Children aged 6-13 years who have mild to moderate cerebral palsy (GMFCS I-III) who can follow instructions and participate in a busy, loud group environment for up to 7 hours per day.
- With a goal to strengthen, fine tune or learn new motor skills so they can play and participate more confidently in everyday activities. Goals can include:
- Get around more independently (stairs, uneven surfaces)
- Ride a bike, trike or scooter
- Dressing skills such as buttons, socks & shoes
- Use cutlery
- Develop cooking skills
HABIT-ILE ran for the first time in Australia in 2017, with astounding results. At the start of the program, each child chose skills to focus on. Nine days later, their performance of those skills was significantly and statistically improved (measured by the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure).
- Between the ages 6 -12 years children fine tune and perfect their gross motor skills. This is a key time to work on strengthening and improving skills obtained in early childhood.
- Intensive therapy accelerates improvements in gross motor skills in a short time period resulting in long lasting results.
- Children who have already developed strong gross motor skills but just need to stabilise or perfect a skill often benefit most from intensive therapy.
After completing HABIT-ILE intensive therapy program other Superlearners Arran, Alice, Tej and Hunter achieved their goals and developed confidence to become more independent and participate more fully within their communities.
Superlearner Will’s journey
I got to hang out with people like me, and with people who understood problems that I have and people like me have, and I got to practise stuff that I thought I would never be able to do in my life!
Places are limited
Consideration for eligibility will be made on a first come first served basis. Advice is available on how to structure this using some of your NDIS funding.
To register your interest, or for further information call 1300 888 378 or email: ask@cerebralpalsy.org.au
Superlearner Arran’s journey
LusioMATE
Get access to cutting-edge wearable gaming technology, LusioMATE used exclusively during HABIT-ILE.
LusioMATE makes learning new skills fun and interactive, helping to motivate kids to achieve their goals.
Research report
Evidence-based interventions for maximising gross motor outcomes in children with cerebral palsy technology: Read more
Want to learn more?
Watch a quick Facebook Live video featuring Prue Golland, Senior Clinical Consultant, where she talks about HABIT-ILE and answers audience questions.
