title: Relationship between gross motor capacity and daily-life mobility in children with cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between gross motor capacity and daily-life mobility in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to explore the moderation of this relationship by the severity of CP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analysis in a cohort study with a clinic-based sample of children with CP (n=116; 76 males, 40 females; mean age 6 y 3 mo, SD 12 mo, range 4 y 8 mo-7 y 7 mo) was performed. Gross motor capacity was assessed by the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66). Daily-life mobility was assessed using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI): Functional Skills Scale (FSS mobility) and Caregiver Assistance Scale (CAS mobility). Severity of CP was classified by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (48% level I, 17% level II, 15% level III, 8% level IV, 12% level V), type of motor impairment (85% spastic, 12% dyskinetic, 3% ataxic), and limb distribution (36% unilateral, 49% bilateral spastic).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scores on the GMFM-66 explained 90% and 84% respectively, of the variance of scores on PEDI-FSS mobility and PEDI-CAS mobility. Limb distribution moderated the relationship between scores on the GMFM-66 and the PEDI-FSS mobility, revealing a weaker relationship in children with unilateral spastic CP (24% explained variance) than in children with bilateral spastic CP (91% explained variance).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In children aged 4 to 7 years with unilateral spastic CP, dissociation between gross motor capacity and daily-life mobility can be observed, just as in typically developing peers.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine Utrecht, Rehabilitation Centre De Hoogstraat, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dirk-Wouter
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: Jan Willem
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Gorter
authors.forename: Marjolijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ketelaar
authors.forename: Petra Em
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Van Schie
authors.forename: Annet J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Dallmeijer
authors.forename: Eline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lindeman
authors.forename: Marian J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jongmans
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires