Activities of daffy living performance in children with cerebral palsy with different gross motor function

Abstract

Objective To analyze the activities of daily living (ADL) performance in children with cerebral palsy (CP) with different gross motor function and the correlation between gross motor function and ADL perform-ance. Methods A total of 118 children (81 boys and 37 girls; mean age: 47.7 months, SD: 20.1 months, age range: 18-90 months) with CP were recruited from three different rehabilitation centers in Shanghai. Types of CP included hemiplegia (n = 27), spastic diplegia (n = 53), spastic quadriplegia(n = 29), athetoid (n = 4), dystonic (n = 4), ataxic (n = 1). Gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) and Gross motor function measure (GMFM) were adopted to assess and classify the gross motor function. Pediatric evaluation of disability inventory (PEDI) was adopted to assess ADL performance. Differences of PEDI scores were compared among different levels of GMFCS; and the correlation between GMFCS levels, GMFM scores and PEDI scores were analyzed. Resnlts PEDI scores showed significant differences among CP children with different levels of GMFCS. The PEDI score usually de-creased with the increase of the GMFCS level, and mobility ability was the lowest. Significant correlations were found between PEDI scaled scores and GMFCS (rs = 0.85～0. 50, P < 0.001). Various levels of correlations (r = 0. 85～ 0.54, P<0.001) were found between GMFM scores and PEDI scaled scores. Higher correlations were found between GMFCS levels, GMFM scores and mobility ability. Conclusion ADL performance was significantly different among CP children with different gross motor function. The higher the gross motor function, the better the performance of ADL. Mobility would be improved by promoting gross motor function in CP children. The training of self-care and so-cial communication ability should be emphasized. Key words: Cerebral palsy;  Gross motor function;  Activities of daily living