Functional motor abilities of children with cerebral palsy: a systematic literature review of assessment measures

Objective: To provide an overview of functional assessment measures for children with cerebral palsy, supporting the selection of measures and the interpretation of results from measures. Methods: instruments were selected on the basis of a literature search of the Medline, Sportdisk and PsychLIT databases. Issues reviewed: instruments were reviewed with respect to target group, purpose, nature, type and psychometric properties. Results: in the literature 17 instruments that are used in paediatric rehabilitation and paediatric physical therapy to assess the functional motor abilities of children with cerebral palsy were found. While there is an urgent need for measures that can evaluate change in functional abilities, it was found that most measures are developed and validated for discriminative purposes. Conclusions: Although instruments developed within the last decade meet psychometric criteria more adequately than those developed previously, it is concluded that only two evaluative assessment measures. the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability inventory (PEDI), fulfil the criteria of reliability and validity with respect to responsiveness to change.