Impact of tactile dysfunction on upper-limb motor performance in children with unilateral cerebral palsy

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2012

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Auld, M.L.
Boyd, R.N.
Moseley, G.L.
Ware, R.S.
Johnston, L.M.

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Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2012; 93(4):696-702

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Objective: To determine the relationship between tactile function and upper-limb function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Design: Cross-sectional study. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Tactile assessment included 1 test of registration, 5 tests for spatial perception, and 1 test for texture perception. Upper-limb motor function was assessed using 2 unimanual tests, the Melbourne Unilateral Upper Limb Assessment (MUUL) and Jebsen-Taylor Test of Hand Function (JTTHF), and 1 bimanual test, the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA). Participants: Recruitment information was sent to 253 possible participants with unilateral CP (aged 8-18y), and N 52 participated (median age [interquartile range], 12y [9 -14y]; Gross Motor Functional Classification System level I 34; II 18; Manual Abilities Classification Scale level I 36; II 16). Results: Tactile registration and all tests of spatial perception were moderately related to the MUUL, JTTHF, and AHA (P .001). Texture perception was not related to upper-limb motor function. Regression analysis showed that single point localization, a unilateral tactile spatial perception test, contributed most strongly to unimanual capacity (29% explained variance in MUUL and 26% explained variance in JTTHF), whereas double simultaneous, a bilateral tactile spatial perception test, contributed most strongly to bimanual performance (33% for the AHA). Setting: Assessments were performed in community or hospital venues or in participants' homes.

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Copyright © 2012 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine

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