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Developmental trajectories of mobility and self-care capabilities in young children with cerebral palsy

Marjolijn Ketelaar1, Jan Willem Gorter2, Paul Westers3

  • 1Brain Center Rudolf Magnus and Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht and De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Partner of NetChild, Network for Childhood Disability Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|January 15, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Young children with cerebral palsy show distinct developmental paths for mobility and self-care skills based on their Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level. These findings aid in setting realistic expectations for children with cerebral palsy.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric neurology
  • Developmental pediatrics
  • Rehabilitation medicine

Background:

  • Cerebral palsy (CP) affects motor function, impacting mobility and self-care in young children.
  • Understanding developmental trajectories is crucial for early intervention and support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the development of mobility and self-care in children aged 1-4 years with CP.
  • To investigate if these developmental trajectories differ based on CP severity, categorized by Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective longitudinal cohort study of 100 children with CP (aged 1.5 or 2.5 years at baseline).
  • Mobility and self-care assessed annually using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory up to age 4.5.
  • Linear mixed models with random coefficient analysis used for longitudinal data of 92 children.

Main Results:

  • Distinct developmental trajectories for mobility and self-care were observed across different GMFCS levels, despite individual variations.
  • The rate of development per month significantly differed between GMFCS levels for both mobility and self-care outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides evidence for the prognosis of daily mobility and self-care skills in young children with CP.
  • GMFCS-based developmental trajectories can improve professional communication and family discussions on expectations and goal-setting for mobility and self-care in children with CP.
Abstract

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