Outcome measures of activity for children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric rehabilitation
• Clinical measurement science

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) presents significant functional and activity limitations in children.
• Accurate and reliable measurement tools are crucial for assessing progress and guiding interventions in pediatric CP.
• Existing functional outcome measures (OMs) for children with CP vary in their psychometric properties and clinical applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and identify valid, reliable, and clinically practical OMs for assessing function and activity in children with CP.
• To evaluate the methodological quality and psychometric properties of identified OMs.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (Cochrane, MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, PEDro, ScienceDirect).
• Reference lists were hand-searched, and databases were searched for specific outcome measures.
• Included studies were assessed for bias using established recommendations.

Main Results:

• Seven studies evaluating six OMs were included in the review.
• The included studies were of moderate to good methodological quality.
• Most OMs require further research to fully establish their psychometric properties.

Conclusions:

• The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) versions 88 and 66, and the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) were identified as potentially appropriate for children with CP.
• The validity of these measures may vary across different age groups and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels.
• Further research is needed to confirm the psychometric properties and clinical utility of OMs for diverse pediatric CP populations.