Applicability of pediatric evaluation of disability inventory in norway

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Rehabilitation
• Functional Assessment
• Child Development

Background:

• The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) assesses functional performance in children with disabilities.
• PEDI evaluates self-care, mobility, and social function, measuring performance and caregiver assistance.
• Applicability of American PEDI norms in Norwegian children requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the suitability of American PEDI normative data for Norwegian children.
• To describe the functional abilities of non-disabled Norwegian children using PEDI.
• To identify potential differences between Norwegian children and American PEDI reference values.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 52 non-disabled Norwegian children aged 1.0–5.9 years was studied.
• The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) was administered.
• Functional Skills and Caregiver Assistance scores were compared to American normative data.

Main Results:

• Norwegian children scored significantly lower on Functional Skills for self-care (mean 39) and mobility (mean 43) compared to American norms (p <0.001).
• Caregiver Assistance scores for self-care were also significantly lower in the Norwegian sample (mean 43, p <0.001).
• Good agreement was observed for caregiver assistance in mobility and for both measures in social function.

Conclusions:

• American PEDI normative values may not be directly applicable to Norwegian children, particularly for self-care and mobility.
• Significant differences in functional skills and caregiver assistance highlight the need for culturally specific data.
• A larger study is recommended to derive Norwegian-specific PEDI reference values for accurate assessment.