Comparison of the psychometric properties of two balance scales in children with cerebral palsy.
Yong-Jin Jeon, Gyoung-Mo Kim
PMID 28174467WHAT IT FOUND
In 40 children with cerebral palsy, Fullerton Advanced Balance tasks were harder than Pediatric Balance Scale tasks.
The hardest was walking with head turns. The easiest was sitting with back unsupported and feet supported on the floor.
Key findings
01The hardest item across the combined scales was walking with head turns, and the easiest was sitting with back unsupported and feet supported on the floor.
02The hardest items in the combined difficulty table included walking with head turns, standing on one leg, and tandem walking.
03The easiest items in the combined difficulty table included sitting with back unsupported and feet supported on the floor, standing to sitting, and standing unsupported.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The children were recruited from one hospital and were not a representative population, so the item difficulty pattern may not apply to all children with cerebral palsy. Only children classified as GMFCS level 1 or 2 and with MMSE-K score 23 or higher were included, so children outside these ranges were not represented. The study did not consider other factors that may affect balance, such as age, cognition, fear of falling, and cerebral palsy classification.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the Fullerton Advanced Balance scale is proven better for all children with cerebral palsy. This study compared task difficulty in 40 children from one hospital, all classified as GMFCS level 1 or 2, and it only reported how difficult each scale's tasks were.