title: Reliability of the Modified Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale in young children with spinal muscular atrophy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The test-retest reliability of the Modified Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale (MHFMS) in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) ≤30 months of age was assessed. The age at which typically developing children (TD) achieve maximum MHFMS scores was also studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two children with SMA type II [mean age (SD) = 20 (5) months, range 9-30 months) were tested twice using the MHFMS. Twenty-five TD children [mean age (SD) = 18 (7) months, range 9-30 months) were tested once.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average difference between MHFMS scores for SMA children was 0.18 [first assessment: mean (SD) = 12.8 (9.8); second assessment: mean (SD) = 13.0 (8.8)]. Reliability was excellent (ICC(1,3) = 0.96, SEM 1.86). TD participants had MHFMS scores ranging from 36 to 40 [mean (SD) = 39.2 (1.2)] and achieved maximum test scores at 12 months of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MHFMS scores in young children with SMA type II showed excellent test-retest stability. This suggests that the MHFMS can be used reliably in this younger population for clinical trials and follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Suite 1100, 645 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA. k-krosschell@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Kristin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Krosschell
authors.forename: Charles B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Jo Anne
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Maczulski
authors.forename: Aga J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lewelt
authors.forename: Sandra P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Reyna
authors.forename: Kathryn J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Swoboda
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014897:Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood / Q000503:physiopathology*