Vestibular stimulation therapy for rhythmic movement disorder
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility study of contactless 3D video assessment and ‘Somnomat’ vestibular stimulation therapy in childhood rhythmic movement disorder
IRAS ID
234505
Contact name
Catherine Hill
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Rhythmic movement disorder (RMD), a rare disorder of sleep, develops in infancy. Children use body rocking or rolling, sometimes associated with vocalisations or banging the head or a body part against a hard surface (e.g. headboard or wall), both to fall asleep and again during the night. While more common in children with developmental disorders, most children with the condition are typically developing, healthy with no emotional difficulties. Children describe the movements as soothing even though they can cause local minor injury (callous/bruising). Importantly RMD disrupts both the child’s sleep, that of the household and is socially disabling. It is notoriously difficult to treat. The Sensorimotor systems lab (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology/ETH) have developed a rocking bed which offers a potential therapeutic approach, providing substitute vestibular stimulation. The rocking of the bed may substitute the child’s rhythmic movements which can be withdrawn gradually so the child is reconditioned to sleep without rocking. This feasibility study aims to recruit up to 6 children aged 5-18 years from the UK and Switzerland. Children will be studied in the Zurich research sleep laboratory over 3 nights. Prior to study they will describe their stimulation preferences during the day (direction and frequency of movement of the bed). After an acclimatisation night, children will be randomised to a control night or stimulation night when they will be rocked at their preferred frequency and amplitude at the start of the night and again during any rocking episodes. 3D video capture will test this novel application of an established technology to quantify movements objectively. Children will report subjective experience of sleeping on both nights. Objective measures will include wrist watch acclerometry and contactless cardiorespiratory data from a mat in the bed (ballistocardiography). Travel, insurance and accommodation expenses will be provided for the child and accompanying parent.
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SW/0003
Date of REC Opinion
31 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion