Assessment on self-care, mobility and social function of children with spina bifida in Turkey

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the functional performance in children with spina bifida, using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) to look into capacity of twenty-eight children with spina bifida with lesions at different levels in different dimensions of self-care, mobility and social function. Mean age of the patients was 3.5 ± 2.3 (1-10) years. In the muscle test carried out, 13 patients (44.8%) had no movements including pelvic elevation in lower extremity muscles and they were at level 5. Sixteen patients (54%) were non-ambulatory according to the Hoofer ambulation classification. Raw and scale scores in the self-care, mobility and social function domains both in the functional skill scale and in the caregiver scale were found to be lower compared to the data of the normal population. A statistically significant correlation was observed in the self-care values of the Functional Skills Scales and the Caregiver Assistance Scale measurements, which was positive for age and negative for Functional Ambulation Scale and muscle test (P < 0.05). A positive relation was found between the Functional Skills Scales-mobility area and age while a negative relation was observed between Functional Ambulation Scale and muscle test (P < 0.005). A negative relation was also found between Caregiver Assistance Scale-mobility and Functional Ambulation Scale and muscle test (P < 0.005). In our study, the functional performance of the children was found to be low. Low-level lesions, encouraging muscular strength and independence in mobility are all very important factors for functional independence.

Keywords: child; disability evalutatıon; mobility; muscular energy; myelomeningocele; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; self-care; social function; spina bifida.

Figure 1

Mean values and standard error plot for raw and scale scores for Functional Ambulation Scale measurements of the lesion level. FS: Functional skills; SC: self-care; MO: mobility; SF: social function. FCSC: FS-SC-raw; FCMO: FS-MO-raw; FCSF: FS-SF-raw; FCSCS: FS-SC-scaled; FCMOS: FS-MO-scaled; FCSFS: FS-SF-scaled.

Figure 2

Mean values and standard error plot for raw and scale scores of the lesion levels. CA: Caregiver assistance; SC: self-care, MO: mobility, SF: social function. CASC: CA-SC-raw; CAMO: CA-MO-raw; CASF: CA-SF-raw; CASCS: CA-SC-scaled; CAMOS: CA-MO-scaled; CASFS: CA-SF-scaled.

Figure 3

Statistically significant relations were observed between the self-care (SC) values of the Functional Skills Scales (FS) measurements which were positive with age and negative with Functional Ambulation Scale (FAS) and Muscle test.

Figure 4

Statistically significant relations were observed between the self-care (SC) values of the Caregiver Assistance Scale (CA) measurements which were positive with age and negative with Functional Ambulation Scale (FAS) and Muscle test.

Figure 5

A positive relation was found between the mobility (MO) values of the Functional Skills Scale (FS) measurements and age, a negative relation with Functional Ambulation Scale (FAS), and a negative relation was found for muscle test.

Figure 6

A negative relation was found between the mobility (MO) values of the Caregiver Assistance Scale (CA) measurements and Functional Ambulation Scale (FAS), and a negative relation with the muscle test.