Gross and Fine Motors Functional Impairments In Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: To assess prevalence of gross and fine motor functional impairments in children with
CP.
Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at Department of Developmental &
Behavioural Paediatrics, The Children's Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Lahore from
October, 2014 to September, 2015. A total of 100 CP patients were taken to assess for gross and
fine motor functional impairment, using Gross Motor Functional Classification System (GMFCS)
and Bimanual Fine Motor Function (BFMF) scales. All data were analyzed using SPSS version
20.
Results: In this hospital-based study comprised 100 children with a diagnosis of CP with 2 to 8
years of age were ascertained. The mean age of patients was found as 4.090 ± 1.672 years.
Study group included 32 females and 68 males. GMFCS was found at level I in 5% patients, level
II in 18% patients, level III in 16% patients, level IV in 15% patients and level V in 46% patients.
The corresponding percentages for BFMF were 21.7% patients, 18% patients, 15% patients,
13% patients and 33% respectively. Among oral musculature problems, drooling was the most
common problem (68 %). Larger proportion of gross motor functional impairment were
associated with the spastic type of cerebral palsy (p=0.03), more specifically quadriplegic
cerebral palsy (p=0.000). Also a larger number of patients with fine motor functional impairments
were associated with spastic type of cerebral palsy (p=0.009), more precisely quadriplegic
cerebral palsy (p=0.000).
Conclusion: It is concluded that quadriplegic spastic CP was the most frequent type that had the
worst motor impairment hence making patients functionally dependant in activities of daily livings.