The Relationship Between Clinical Motor and Communication Levels of Children with Cerebral Palsy, And Competencies From Parents' Perspectives

Year 2022, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 136 - 142, 20.12.2022

Onur Aydın , Gönül Ertunç , Nasim Ejraeı , Aysel Yıldız Özer

https://doi.org/10.33438/ijdshs.1181610

Abstract

In this study, it was investigated whether there is a relationship between the clinical motor and communication levels of children with CP in terms of physiotherapy and the perceived competency levels from the parents' perspective. The Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) was used for motor ability level; the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) was preferred for communication level. The children’ communication levels from the parent's perspective were evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Katz Index was used for measuring the children' activities of daily living. A total of 110 children with CP (mean age: 6.74±3.48 years) and their caregivers participated in the study. Communication levels were good for 30.6% of the children, and motor levels were good for 27.9% of them. The mean activity of daily living was 9.11±8.52. The child's proficiency level, according to the perspective of the parents, was found to be 6.22±3.29 on average. Positive correlations were found between the level of child communication skills as perceived by the parents, the CFCS level (r = 0.770; p<0.001), GMFCS (r = 0.652; p<0.001) and the Katz scale (r = 0.636; p<0.001). Adherence to treatment and continuity to rehabilitation regularly are important in the physiotherapy and rehabilitation process of children with CP. At the end of our study, it was determined that there was a good correlation between the communication competency. Within the scope of education programs, training parents to follow the development of their children and increase their awareness can increase their treatment adherence.

Keywords

Cerebral Palsy, Motor Level, Communication Skills, Parent Perspective

References

• Cans, C., De-la-Cruz, J., & Mermet, M. A. (2008). Epidemiology of cerebral palsy. Paediatrics and child health, 18(9), 393-398.
• Carlsson, A. M. (1983). Assessment of chronic pain. I. Aspects of the reliability and validity of the visual analogue scale. Pain, 16(1), 87-101.
• Coleman, A., Weir, K., Ware, R. S., & Boyd, R. (2015). Predicting functional communication ability in children with cerebral palsy at school entry. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 57(3), 279-285.
• Drougia, A., Giapros, V., Krallis, N.,Theocharis, P., Nikaki, A., Tzoufi, M., & Andronikou, S. (2007). Incidence and risk factors for cerebral palsy in infants with perinatal problems: a 15-year review. Early human development, 83(8), 541-547.
• Ejraei, N., Ozer, A. Y., Aydogdu, O., Turkdogan, D., & Polat, M. G. (2021). The effect of neck-trunk stabilization exercises in cerebral palsy: randomized controlled trial. Minerva Pediatrics.
• Hankins, G. D., & Speer, M. (2003). Defining the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of neonatal encephalopathy and cerebral palsy. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 102(3), 628-636.
• Hidecker, M. J. C., Paneth, N., Rosenbaum, P. L., Kent, R. D., Lillie, J., Eulenberg, J. B., & Taylor, K. (2011). Developing and validating the Communication Function Classification System for individuals with cerebral palsy. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 53(8), 704-710.
• Kakooza-Mwesige, A., Andrews, C., Peterson, S., Mangen, F. W., Eliasson, A. C., & Forssberg, H. (2017). Prevalence of cerebral palsy in Uganda: a population-based study. The Lancet Global Health, 5(12), e1275-e1282.
• Katz, S., Ford, A. B., Moskowitz, R. W., Jackson, B. A., & Jaffe, M. W. (1963). Studies of illness in the aged: the index of ADL: a standardized measure of biological and psychosocial function. Jama, 185(12), 914-919.
• Krageloh-Mann I, Cans, C. (2009). Cerebral Palsy Update. Brain and Development, 31, 537- 544.
• Leung, C. Y. S., & Li-Tsang, C. W. P. (2003). Quality of life of parents who have children with disabilities. Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy, 13(1), 19-24.
• Lim MSY, Wong CP (2009). Impact of cerebral palsy on the quality of life in patients and their families. Neurulogy Asia, 14, 27–33.
• Mutlu, A., Pistav-Akmese, P., Yardımcı, B. N., & Ogretmen, T. (2017). What do the relationships between functional classification systems of children with cerebral palsy tell us? Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 28(12), 3493-3498.
• Palisano, R., Rosenbaum, P., Walter, S., Russell, D., Wood, E., & Galuppi, B. (1997). Development and reliability of a system to classify gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy. Developmental medicine & child neurology, 39(4), 214-223.
• Serdaroǧlu, A., Cansu, A., Özkan, S., & Tezcan, S. (2006). Prevalence of cerebral palsy in Turkish children between the ages of 2 and 16 years. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 48(6), 413-416.
• Stavsky, M., Mor, O., Mastrolia, S. A., Greenbaum, S., Than, N. G., & Erez, O. (2017). Cerebral palsy—trends in epidemiology and recent development in prenatal mechanisms of disease, treatment, and prevention. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 5, 21.
• O’Shea M (2008). Cerebral Palsy. Seminars in Perinatology, 32, 35–41.
• Wood, E. (2006, December). The child with cerebral palsy: diagnosis and beyond. In Seminars in pediatric neurology (Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 286-296). WB Saunders.
• Yıldız, A., Tarakcı, D., Hajebrahimi, F., & Mutluay, F. (2016). Disabled children's functionality and maternal quality of life and psychological status. Pediatrics International, 58(12), 1291-1296