title: Measuring changes of manual ability with ABILHAND-Kids following intensive training for children with unilateral cerebral palsy.
abstract: ABILHAND-Kids is a parent-reported questionnaire measuring manual ability in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Its psychometric properties have been established, with the exception of responsiveness, which is examined here.
  
  
  
  In this cohort study, 98 children (46 males, 52 females; range 6-19y, mean 11y, standard deviation [SD] 3.3y) with unilateral CP underwent three assessments of upper extremity function: at baseline (T1); after 80 to 90 hours of intensive training (T2); and at follow-up (T3). The responsiveness was analyzed using global, group (based on age and on Manual Ability Classification System [MACS] level), and individual approaches during two time periods (T1-T2 and T2-T3). Effect size was used to quantify magnitude of changes.
  
  
  
  The global approach showed significant improvements between T1 and T2 (p<0.001) but not between T2 and T3 (p=0.222). In the group analyses, effect size and SRM demonstrated large changes in younger children (6-12y, n=52, mean change=1.06 logit, effect size >0.8) and small changes in the older children (13-19y, n=46, mean change=0.71 logit, effect size >0.4). Children in MACS level II demonstrated larger changes than children in MACS level I or III.
  
  
  
  The ABILHAND-Kids exhibited responsiveness in detecting changes after intensive training. Therefore, this scale is potentially useful in assessing the functional status of children with unilateral CP in clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bleyenheuft
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.|Center of Expertise, Adelante Rehabilitation, Hoensbroek, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eugène
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rameckers
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Thonnard
authors.affiliation: Physical and Occupational Therapy Departments, Paramedical Category, Haute Ecole Louvain en Hainaut, Montignies-sur-Sambre, Belgium.
authors.forename: Carlyne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arnould
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011594:Psychometrics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult