Functional Skills among Preschool Children with Cerebral Palsy - Assessment before and after Early Intervention

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Rehabilitation
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts functional skills in preschool children.
• Early intervention is crucial for improving outcomes in children with CP.
• Understanding the efficacy of intensive habilitation programs is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in functional skills of preschool children with CP after a 1-year intensive habilitation program.
• To assess the impact of the program on mobility, social function, and other daily activities.
• To identify which levels of Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) benefit most from the intervention.

Main Methods:

• Prospective longitudinal study involving 39 preschool children (2-5 years) with CP (GMFCS levels I-V).
• Participants engaged in a 1-year intensified multidimensional habilitation program focusing on functional skill activities.
• The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) was used for pre- and post-intervention assessments.

Main Results:

• Children classified at GMFCS levels I-II demonstrated significant improvements in mobility and social function.
• Following the program, these children achieved scores comparable to typically developing peers in social function.
• No significant improvements were noted for children at higher GMFCS levels.

Conclusions:

• Intensified habilitation programs can enhance functional skills in preschool children with CP, particularly those at GMFCS levels I-II.
• The findings suggest that early and intensive interventions are beneficial for improving specific functional domains in young children with CP.
• Further research may explore tailored interventions for children with higher GMFCS levels.