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Powered ride-on mobility training compared with physical therapy for toddlers with cerebral palsy

Compares powered mobility training with physical therapy in young children with cerebral palsy.

Key facts

Who runs it
University of Washington
Where
Grand Rapids and Portland, United StatesSee the 2 sites
Trial code
Registry title
Dynamic, Real-world Learning, Innovative Mobility, and Versatile Exploration (DRIVE): Evaluating a Dose-matched Developmental Powered Mobility Intervention for Young Children With Cerebral Palsy
Status
Not yet recruiting
People taking part
48 people, planned
Starts
Jan 2027
Expected to end
Sept 2030
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Permobil Explorer Mini
  • MORE-PT
Record updated
15 October 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for young children with cerebral palsy, or a high chance of it, and their legal caregivers. Children get either powered mobility play with the Explorer Mini device or usual home physical therapy.

Age
Children: 12 to 33 months old at enrollment. Caregivers: 18 years or older.
Sex
All sexes can join.
Disease stage
Cerebral palsy, or a high chance of a future diagnosis based on birth history or development. Motor abilities at GMFCS Levels II-IV (a scale of movement ability). The child must be able to sit, with or without support, while moving for 30 minutes.
Earlier treatment
The child must not already use a powered mobility device in the home on a regular basis.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Child older than 33 months at enrollment
  • Child already uses a powered mobility device at home regularly
  • Child's movement abilities are not at GMFCS Levels II-IV
  • Household where English or Spanish is not spoken well
  • Adult who is not the child's legal caregiver

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 11 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • The child will:
  • be 12-33 months old at study enrollment
  • have a medical diagnosis of cerebral palsy or have high likelihood of a future cerebral palsy diagnosis based on birth history or current developmental status, with motor abilities consistent with the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Levels II-IV
  • be able to maintain a sitting position with or without support while moving through space for 30 minutes
  • live in a household where English or Spanish are spoken proficiently; The adult will:
  • be 18 years or older and be the legal caregiver for the child participant
  • demonstrate proficiency in English or Spanish. Inclusion criteria will be secured via caregiver report using screening questions

Who cannot take part

  • they are greater than 33 months of age at enrollment (to ensure they complete the 12-week intervention prior to reaching the upper age recommendation for the Explorer Mini (36 months)
  • The child will be excluded if:
  • they already consistently use a power mobility device in the home
  • they do not have motor presentations consistent with GMFCS II-IV

Where in United States

  • Grand Valley State UniversityGrand Rapids, United StatesContact: Lisa Kenyon, PT, DPT, PhD, PCSNot yet recruiting
  • Oregon State UniversityPortland, United StatesContact: Sam Logan, PhDNot yet recruiting

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The goal of this clinical trial is to understand the effects of developmental powered mobility intervention on global development, gross motor function, and activity performance outcomes in 48 young children (ages 1-2 years) with cerebral palsy (CP). The main question it aims to answer is:

Read full original descriptionShow less

Does the developmental powered mobility intervention produce greater improvements in global development and activity performance outcomes in young children with CP?

How will the developmental powered mobility intervention effect gross motor function?

Researchers will compare the developmental powered mobility (DPM) intervention to usual care physical therapy focused on movement, orientation, repetition, and exercise (MORE-PT) to see if DPM produces greater improvements in outcomes without impeding gross motor function.

Child Participants will:

Receive either DPM or MORE-PT twice weekly for 12 weeks in the home setting.

Complete assessments with the interventionist before and after the 12-week intervention and at a 6-month follow-up visit.

Caregiver participants will: Track outside therapies and any outside assistive device use completed during the intervention, in a weekly log.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Developmental Powered MobilityTreatment being tested

    Children randomized to this group will engage in home-based DPM activities using the Explorer Mini device, focusing on three main areas: tool use, exploratory perceptual motor experiences, and goal directed mobility.

    Treatment: Permobil Explorer Mini

  • MORE-PTExisting treatment, for comparison

    Children randomized to this group will engage in a home-based usual care physical therapy intervention, focusing on movement, orientation, repetition, and exercise-physical therapy.

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
Dynamic, Real-world Learning, Innovative Mobility, and Versatile Exploration (DRIVE): Evaluating a Dose-matched Developmental Powered Mobility Intervention for Young Children With Cerebral Palsy
Plain-language title
Powered ride-on mobility training compared with physical therapy for toddlers with cerebral palsyGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
Record updated
15 October 2026