Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Measurements of Motor Function and Other Clinical Outcome Parameters in Ambulant Children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Published on: January 12, 2019
Motor development toward ambulation in preschool children with myelomeningocele--a prospective study
1Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. asa.bartonek@ki.se
Insights
Motor development for walking in children with myelomeningocele progresses gradually, with ambulation increasing up to age six. Spasticity is more common in those not achieving expected walking milestones.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Neurology
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Myelomeningocele significantly impacts motor development, particularly the ability to achieve independent ambulation.
- Understanding the trajectory of motor development is crucial for early intervention and support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the progression of motor development towards ambulation in children diagnosed with myelomeningocele.
- To identify factors influencing the achievement of walking in this population.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study following 43 children from 6 months to 6 years of age.
- Regular follow-ups assessed walking function, use of orthoses, and presence of spasticity.
Main Results:
- Ambulation rates increased progressively, with some children achieving walking within the first year and more by age six.
- At six years, most children used orthoses, and a subset experienced spasticity.
- A portion of children did not achieve expected ambulation despite comparable muscle function.
Conclusions:
- Walking ability in children with myelomeningocele develops over an extended period, peaking by age six.
- Variability in motor development exists even among children with similar muscle function.
- Spasticity is associated with delayed or absent ambulation in this cohort.
Purpose:
To describe motor development toward ambulation in children with myelomeningocele.
Methods:
Forty-three children were followed prospectively from 6 months to 6 years of age.
Results:
Walking function had been achieved at the 1-year follow-up in 2 of 38 children, at the 1.5-year follow-up in 7 of 39, at the 2-year follow-up in 14 of 36, at the 3-year follow-up in 21 of 28, at the 4-year follow-up in 28 of 36, and at the 6-year follow-up in 30 of 38. At the 6-year follow-up, spasticity was present in 22 of 38 children, 42 of 43 used orthoses, and 9 children had not achieved ambulation expected with respect to muscle function.
Conclusions:
In children with myelomeningocele, walking starts in some during the first year of life and is seen increasingly more frequently until 6 years of age. Motor development before ambulation varies among children with similar muscle function. An increased incidence of spasticity is found among those not having achieved ambulation with respect to muscle function.
