Examining Gross Motor Progress in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Examining Gross Motor Progress in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Examining Gross Motor Progress in Children with Cerebral PalsyPhysical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics published research examining gross motor progress in children with cerebral palsy. The researchers wanted to determine the factors that influence progress. The prospective study was based on 2048 assessments of 442 children (2-12 years old) diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) was used repeatedly to monitor gross motor progress over 2.9 years on average.
The results of examining gross motor progress in children with cerebral palsy indicated the following:
- intensive training (participation in more than or equal to 3 sessions per week and/or participation in an intensive program) was the ONLY intervention factor associated with enhanced gross motor progress.
- gross motor function was on average 24.2 percentiles lower in children with intellectual disability.
- eating problems and ankle contractures by age were associated with long-term gross motor progress.
The researchers concluded that intensive training and preventing ankle contractures was associated with enhanced gross motor progress over 2.9 years with intellectual disability being a strong negative prognostic factor.
Reference: (2018) Factors Associated with Enhanced Gross Motor Progress in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Register-Based Study, Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics, DOI: 10.1080/01942638.2018.1462288.
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