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Inter‐relationships of functional status in cerebral palsy: analyzing gross motor function, manual ability, and communication function classification systems in children
Author(s) -
HIDECKER MARY JO COOLEY,
HO NHAN THI,
DODGE NANCY,
HURVITZ EDWARD A,
SLAUGHTER JAIME,
WORKINGER MARILYN SEIF,
KENT RAY D,
ROSENBAUM PETER,
LENSKI MADELEINE,
MESSAROS BRIDGET M,
VANDERBEEK SUZETTE B,
DEROOS STEVEN,
PANETH NIGEL
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2012.04312.x
Subject(s) - cerebral palsy , gross motor function classification system , physical medicine and rehabilitation , gross motor skill , function (biology) , motor function , psychology , audiology , medicine , motor skill , neuroscience , biology , evolutionary biology
Aim To investigate the relationships among the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Method Using questionnaires describing each scale, mothers reported GMFCS, MACS, and CFCS levels in 222 children with CP aged from 2 to17 years (94 females, 128 males; mean age 8y, SD 4). Children were referred from pediatric developmental/behavioral, physiatry, and child neurology clinics, in the USA, for a case–control study of the etiology of CP. Pairwise relationships among the three systems were assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficients ( r s ), stratifying by age and CP topographical classifications. Results Correlations among the three functional assessments were strong or moderate. GMFCS levels were highly correlated with MACS levels ( r s =0.69) and somewhat less so with CFCS levels ( r s =0.47). MACS and CFCS were also moderately correlated ( r s =0.54). However, many combinations of functionality were found. Of the 125 possible combinations of the three five‐point systems, 62 were found in these data. Interpretation Use of all three classification systems provides a more comprehensive picture of the child’s function in daily life than use of any one alone. This resulting functional profile can inform both clinical and research purposes.