Little is known about the patterns of development of children with cerebral palsy which lead to their ultimate functional motor outcome, and as a result rehabilitation goals and gains are often difficult to evaluate. The objective of this program is to describe the natural history of movement development in this population of children. This will help to understand how the """"""""severity"""""""" of cerebral palsy might influence how independent a child is able to become. The investigators have been working for ten years to develop a measurement tool to assess the motor function of children with cerebral palsy. This study will build on previous work by using the measure repeatedly over a minimum of three years to document the movement activities of a large group of children of various ages and severities of cerebral palsy. The goal is to create """"""""motor growth curves"""""""" similar to the growth charts that are used to follow the height and weight of children as they grow. Along with related work by the investigators on the assessment of """"""""severity"""""""" of motor disability, the intent of this study is to provide information on the natural history of motor development in cerebral palsy, and contribute new insights into the planning and evaluation of rehabilitation efforts.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD034947-02
Application #
2655159
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG4-GRM (01))
Project Start
1997-02-10
Project End
2000-01-31
Budget Start
1998-02-01
Budget End
1999-01-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Mcmaster University
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Hamilton
State
ON
Country
Canada
Zip Code
L8 3-Z5
Bartlett, Doreen J; Hanna, Steven E; Avery, Lisa et al. (2010) Correlates of decline in gross motor capacity in adolescents with cerebral palsy in Gross Motor Function Classification System levels III to V: an exploratory study. Dev Med Child Neurol 52:e155-60
Palisano, Robert J; Hanna, Steven E; Rosenbaum, Peter L et al. (2010) Probability of walking, wheeled mobility, and assisted mobility in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. Dev Med Child Neurol 52:66-71
Gorter, Jan Willem; Ketelaar, Marjolijn; Rosenbaum, Peter et al. (2009) Use of the GMFCS in infants with CP: the need for reclassification at age 2 years or older. Dev Med Child Neurol 51:46-52
Hanna, Steven E; Bartlett, Doreen J; Rivard, Lisa M et al. (2008) Reference curves for the Gross Motor Function Measure: percentiles for clinical description and tracking over time among children with cerebral palsy. Phys Ther 88:596-607
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Palisano, Robert J; Cameron, David; Rosenbaum, Peter L et al. (2006) Stability of the gross motor function classification system. Dev Med Child Neurol 48:424-8
Gorter, Jan Willem; Rosenbaum, Peter L; Hanna, Steven E et al. (2004) Limb distribution, motor impairment, and functional classification of cerebral palsy. Dev Med Child Neurol 46:461-7
Tieman, Beth L; Palisano, Robert J; Gracely, Edward J et al. (2004) Gross motor capability and performance of mobility in children with cerebral palsy: a comparison across home, school, and outdoors/community settings. Phys Ther 84:419-29
Tieman, Beth; Palisano, Robert J; Gracely, Edward J et al. (2004) Changes in mobility of children with cerebral palsy over time and across environmental settings. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr 24:109-28
Palisano, Robert J; Tieman, Beth L; Walter, Stephen D et al. (2003) Effect of environmental setting on mobility methods of children with cerebral palsy. Dev Med Child Neurol 45:113-20

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