Instrumented assessment of motor function in dyskinetic cerebral palsy: a systematic review.
Helga Haberfehlner, Marije Goudriaan, Laura A Bonouvrié and 5 others
PMID 32138731WHAT IT FOUND
A systematic review of 49 studies found that while sensors and motion capture can measure movement in dyskinetic cerebral palsy, most methods require the child to understand instructions and move voluntarily.
This excludes the 70-80% who are non-ambulatory and severely impaired, leaving no validated tools for them.
Key findings
01Most instrumented methods require task understanding, manual ability, or ambulation, meaning few options exist for the severely impaired majority of children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy.
02The methodological quality of these tools is unknown because most studies did not report reliability or validity data, and none assessed activities in the child's real daily environment.
03Wearable sensors and home-based assessments are not yet established for this population, with no studies found specifically using them to detect movement patterns in dyskinetic cerebral palsy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Most included studies had very small sample sizes (10-20 participants), which limits the generalizability of the findings. The methodological quality of the measurement tools is largely unknown because most studies did not report on validity or reliability. None of the studies assessed activities in the child's real-life environment, so it is unclear if these lab-based measures reflect daily function. The review excluded studies on speech, communication, and self-care, limiting its scope to motor function only.
Declared interests
The work was supported by several Dutch foundations and research funds, including Phelps Stichting voor Spastici, het Revalidatiefonds, Kinderrevalidatie Fonds de Adriaanstichting, JKF Kinderfonds, and Amsterdam Movement Sciences. The authors declared no other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that because a sensor or motion capture system is used in research, it is a valid clinical tool for your patients. The review found that the methodological quality of these tools is unknown, and most are not designed for the severely impaired children who make up the majority of the dyskinetic cerebral palsy population.