Comparison of functional activity performance in normally developing children and children with cerebral palsy

• Published in: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria Vol. 60; no. 2-B; pp. 446 - 452
• Main Authors: Mancini, Marisa C, Fiúza, Patrícia M, Rebelo, Jerusa M, Magalhães, Lívia C, Coelho, Zélia A C, Paixao, Maria Lúcia, Gontijo, Ana Paula B, Fonseca, Sérgio T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese; English
• Published: Brazil 01.06.2002
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Cerebral Palsy - physiopathology; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disabled Children; Female; Humans; Male; Self Care
• ISSN: 0004-282X; 1678-4227
• DOI: 10.1590/S0004-282X2002000300020

To compare the pattern of self-care performance in normal children and children with cerebral palsy (CP). 142 normal children and 33 children with CP were evaluated by 22 items from the self-care scale of the PEDI functional test. Rasch methodology transformed scores into interval measures of difficulty from 0 to 100 (logit). Spearman rank correlation coefficient compared the order of logits in the two groups. Eleven items showed significant differences in the logit values received. Out of these, 7 items showed relative difficulty values greater in the group of children with CP and 4 items showed relative difficulty values greater among normal children. A significant correlation was observed in the order of the 22 items displayed in the two interval scales. The results suggest that the development of self-care functional activities may be influenced by the presence of CP. These results may support assessment and intervention strategies for children with neuromotor disorders.