Relationships between developmental profiles and ambulatory ability in A follow-up study of preschool children with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the follow-up course of developmental profiles in preschool children with spastic quadriplegic (SQ) cerebral palsy (CP) who had varying ambulatory abilities.


METHODS
Forty-eight children with SQ CP between 1 and 5 years old were classified into 2 groups, the ambulatory and non-ambulatory groups, based on Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels during the initial assessment. The developmental profiles, consisting of development quotients (DQs) of 8 domains, were evaluated during the initial assessment and the final assessment one year later. The DQ change index (%) was calculated as 100% X (final DQ-initial DQ)/initial DQ.


RESULTS
The DQs of all developmental domains in the non-ambulatory group were lower than those in the ambulatory group on both initial and final assessments (p<0.01). As indicated by the DQ change indices, most DQs in the ambulatory group decreased slightly, whereas those in the non-ambulatory group decreased considerably (p<0.05). Furthermore, fine motor function increased proportionally with age in the ambulatory group, but not in the non-ambulatory group.


CONCLUSIONS
The DQs of the developmental profiles varied in preschool CP children with different ambulatory abilities. The course of developmental profiles in preschool children with SQ CP evolves with age and relates to the degree of ambulatory function. Knowledge of these developmental profiles may be helpful in understanding, predicting, and managing the developmental problems of these children.
Chen
Chia-Ling
CL
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Taipei, Graduate Institute of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, NationalTaiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chen
Chung-Yao
CY
Lin
Keh-Chung
KC
Chen
Kai-Hua
KH
Wu
Ching-Yi
CY
Lin
Chu-Hsu
CH
Liu
Wen-Yu
WY
Hsu
Hung-Chih
HC
D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000503:physiopathology*