Comparison of spatial working memory and strategy use in cerebral palsy children with normal subjects with 7-12 years old

The present study evaluates spatial working memory and strategy use, that are from the most important executive functions in performing the learning tasks and intellectual actions in children with cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia). For this cross sectional/analytical study, 40 children between 7 and 12 were recruited by random sampling into 2 groups: twenty children with cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia), with mean age of 8.94 years; and 20 normal children with mean age of 8.86 years. Data were collected using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), CANTAB and Raven test of intelligence. Data were analyzed using t-test. Children with cerebral palsy differ from the normal children in spatial working memory. Comparing of the means of errors, were illustrated in 3 distinct features, demonstrated meaninngful difference between 2 groups (p<0.05),except in double error (p>0.05); however there was no significant difference in function of strategy use between 2 groups (p>0.05). In regard with these findings, cognitive rehabilitation with focus on executive skills can be useful in clinical treatment, parallel to the traditional methods, for spatial working memory in children with cerebral palsy.