Measuring functional status in Thai children with disabilities.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare normal children with age-appropriate functional abilities and children with identified disabilities in Thailand.


METHODS
Data were collected for 157 nondisabled children and 80 children with cerebral palsy. Their ages ranged from 6 to 100 months. The Functional Independence Measure for children (WeeFIM) is an instrument used to assess independence in self-care, sphincter control, transfers, locomotion, communication, and social cognition.


RESULTS
The WeeFIM of the disabilities scored consistently lower in all areas than those of the nondisabled children (p<0.05). Total score, motor score, and cognitive subscores increased with age. When data from Thai children was compared with that from American and Japanese children, total WeeFIM mean scores for each age group and Pearson's correlation coefficients between each age group and total WeeFIM scores showed similar trends.


CONCLUSIONS
WeeFIM can be used as a disability-measuring instrument for Thai children.
Division of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Jithathai
J
Jongjit
Ladda
L
Komsopapong
Waree
W
Chira-Adisai
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D002547:Cerebral Palsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male