Measuring hand function in the young child.
Assessing outcomes is vital in any hand therapy practice setting, as it is the primary method of determining whether or not a treatment program is working. In the pediatric population, determining improvements in hand function can be challenging. The author describes using a developmental perspective to evaluate hand function for infants and young children. The utilization of a consistent approach to play along with standard toys is described in this article as a method to evaluate the quality of hand function throughout developmental grasp patterns.
Ho
Emily S
ES
Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Rehabilitation Services, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. emily.ho@sickkids.ca
D002675:Child, Preschool; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D010988:Play and Playthings; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology