Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between tactile function and upper-limb
function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP).
DESIGN: Cross-sectional
study. SETTING: Assessments were performed in community or hospital venues or in
participants' homes. PARTICIPANTS: Recruitment information was sent to 253
possible participants with unilateral CP (aged 8-18 y), and N=52 participated
(median age [interquartile range], 12 y [9-14 y]; Gross Motor Functional
Classification System level I=34; II=18; Manual Abilities Classification Scale
level I=36; II=16). 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). 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). CONCLUSIONS: Spatial tactile deficits account for
approximately 30% of the variance in upper-limb motor function in children with
unilateral CP. This emphasizes the need for routine tactile assessment and
targeted treatment of tactile spatial deficits in this population.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS