Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Validity Of The Early Activity Scale For Endurance And The 6-Minute Walk Test For Children With Cerebral Palsy., Alyssa Laforme Fiss, Lynn Jeffries, Allison Yocum, Sarah Westcott Mccoy, On Track Study Team

Physical Therapy Publications

PURPOSE: This study aimed to describe Early Activity Scale for Endurance (EASE) scores and 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distances of children with cerebral palsy (CP) by functional ability level, sex, and age and to examine the convergent validity of the 2 tests.

METHODS: A total of 708 participants with CP, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I to V, completed the EASE, and 376 of the study participants (3-12years), GMFCS levels I to III, completed the 6MWT.

RESULTS: Children with CP vary in EASE scores and 6MWT distances based on GMFCS level and, to a lesser extent, age. The …

Stability Of The Gross Motor Function Classification System, Manual Ability Classification System, And Communication Function Classification System., Robert J Palisano, Lisa Avery, Jan Willem Gorter, Barbara Galuppi, Sarah Westcott Mccoy

Physical Therapy Publications

AIM: To determine the stability of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) over 1-year and 2-year intervals using a process for consensus classification between parents and therapists.

METHOD: Participants were 664 children with cerebral palsy (CP), 18 months to 12 years of age, one of their parents, and 90 therapists. Consensus between parents and therapists on level of function was ≥92% for the GMFCS, MACS, and CFCS. A linearly weighted kappa coefficient of ≥0.75 was the criterion for stability.

RESULTS: Kappa coefficients varied from 0.76 to 0.88 for …

Parents' Experiences And Perceptions When Classifying Their Children With Cerebral Palsy: Recommendations For Service Providers., Natalie V Scime, Doreen J Bartlett, Laura K Brunton, Robert J Palisano

Physical Therapy Publications

AIMS: This study investigated the experiences and perceptions of parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) when classifying their children using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS). The second aim was to collate parents' recommendations for service providers on how to interact and communicate with families.

METHODS: A purposive sample of seven parents participating in the On Track study was recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted orally and were audiotaped, transcribed, and coded openly. A descriptive interpretive approach within a pragmatic perspective was used during analysis.

RESULTS: …

Validity And Reliability Of Two Abbreviated Versions Of The Gross Motor Function Measure., Laura K Brunton, Doreen J Bartlett

Physical Therapy Publications

Aim: The “gold standard” to measure gross motor functioning for children with cerebral palsy (CP) is the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66). The purpose of this study was to estimate the validity and reliability of two abbreviated versions (item set (GMFM-66 IS) and basal and ceiling (GMFM-66 B&C) approaches) of the GMFM-66.

Methods: Twenty-six children with CP aged 2 to 6 years across all GMFCS levels participated. At session one, both abbreviated versions were administered by two independent raters, followed by the full GMFM-66. In the subsequent session, only the abbreviated versions were administered, by the same raters. Concurrent validity, …