Measurement of activities of daily living in children - Standardisation of a screening questionnaire

Background: Especially at preschool age, but also at school age, it is a major issue to what extent developmental problems are relevant for activities of daily living. This should be important for the prescription of therapeutic interventions. Previous instruments require training and/or they are time-consuming (e. g. inter-views, direct observation and testing) or they are not suitable for the target group. The objective of the presented screening questionnaire for parents and professionals is a quick and Standardised instrument for the status of everyday activities, particular in children with physical and mental delays or handicaps. The study examines the interrater and the retest reliability. Patients and methods: A questionnaire (M-ADL) with the subscales eating and drinking, hand skill in everyday life, toiletting and mobility was tested. The ratings were carried out on two levels: first, a global rating from 0 to 10 had to be given on each subscale. Secondly, a rating based on a defined scale had to be given. The average time for evaluation is about 5 minutes. We examined 28 children with cerebral palsy for the test-retest-reliability, and 48 children for the interrater reliability. The children had all types of cerebral palsy and all degrees of severity rated according to the Gross Motor Function Classification Scale cerebral palsy. Results: The M-ADL total scores showed an excellent interrater reliability (r=0.84 to r=0.89) and test-retest-reliability (r=0.91 to r=0.97). Each subscale had a good reliability (at least r=0.73). Conclusion: The M-ADL is a reliable, economic measure for activities of daily living for children with physical and mental delays or handicaps. The instrument may serve as a tool for quick information on the level of activities according to the International Classification of Functioning (ICF).