Motor development toward ambulation in preschool children with myelomeningocele--a prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe motor development toward ambulation in children with myelomeningocele.


METHODS
Forty-three children were followed prospectively from 6 months to 6 years of age.


RESULTS
Walking function had been achieved at the 1-year follow-up in 2 of 38 children, at the 1.5-year follow-up in 7 of 39, at the 2-year follow-up in 14 of 36, at the 3-year follow-up in 21 of 28, at the 4-year follow-up in 28 of 36, and at the 6-year follow-up in 30 of 38. At the 6-year follow-up, spasticity was present in 22 of 38 children, 42 of 43 used orthoses, and 9 children had not achieved ambulation expected with respect to muscle function.


CONCLUSIONS
In children with myelomeningocele, walking starts in some during the first year of life and is seen increasingly more frequently until 6 years of age. Motor development before ambulation varies among children with similar muscle function. An increased incidence of spasticity is found among those not having achieved ambulation with respect to muscle function.
Bartonek
Asa
A
Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. asa.bartonek@ki.se
D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009048:Motor Skills; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty; D011187:Posture; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016138:Walking; D014910:Wheelchairs