Upper Extremity Selective Voluntary Motor Control in Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy

Upper Extremity Selective Voluntary Motor Control in Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy and Its Association With Upper Extremity Function

The aim of the study was to determine upper extremity selective motor control (SMC) in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy (CP). It was also aimed to determine the relationship between upper extremity SMC and upper extremity functions in unilateral CP.

Twenty-four unilateral CP participated in the study between the ages of 6 and 18 years. Children's manual skills classified with MACS. To assess the quality of the upper extremity, the Quality of Upper Extremity Skill Test (QUEST) which assessed four areas including dissociated movement, grasp, weight bearing and protective extension, was used. Upper extremity functions were assessed using the Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test (JTT). The Selective Control of Upper Extremity Scale (SCUES) was used to evaluate the selective movements of the upper extremity. The SCUES evaluates the movement of the trunk during the upper limb movements and mirror movements via video recording.

Inclusion Criteria:

• diagnosis of unilateral spastic CP,
• age between 5 and 18 years,
• ability to follow simple instructions.

Exclusion Criteria:

• significant ataxia or dystonia
• orthopedic intervention or botulinum toxin injection to the upper extremities in the last 6 months
• orthopedic problems or medical conditions that prevented children from participating in the assessment