Affiliations: Department of Physiotherapy, College of Medicine,
University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Talhatu K. Hamzat, Department of
Physiotherapy, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, PMB 5017 GPO Dugbe,
Ibadan, Nigeria. Tel.: +234 8052457016; E-mail: tkhamzat@comui.edu.ng;
talkzat@yahoo.com
Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate correlation between gross
motor performance and gross motor capability of children with cerebral palsy
(CP). A total of 106 participants comprising 53 (34 male and 19 female)
children with CP aged between 1 and 12 years and their 53 primary caregivers
were consecutively recruited from the University College Hospital Ibadan and
Oni Memorial Children Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria. The gross motor capability was
assessed in the clinic by a physiotherapist (care provider) using the Gross
Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) while the gross motor performance
was assessed by the primary caregivers in their home environment using the
Gross Motor Function Classification System Family Questionnaire (GMFCSFQ).
Scores obtained from the GMFCS and GMFCSFQ were correlated using the Spearman
correlation statistic at α = 0.05. Findings revealed that majority
(94.3%) of the caregivers were mothers and the remainder, grandmothers
(5.7%). A statistically significant positive correlation between the GMFCS
and GMFCSFQ scores in all the children with cerebral palsy (P = 0.82, P =
0.00), those with quadriplegic CP (P = 0.70, P = 0.00) and hemiplegic CP
(P = 0.79, P = 0.00). However a positive but non-significant correlation
was observed in those with diplegic CP (P = 0.74, P = 0.26). The study
outcome suggests that both the caregivers and the care providers of children
with hemiplegic and quadriplegic CP would turn in similar judgment while
assessing motor function in this group of patients. Apparent feminization of
care giving role for CP was also revealed in this study.
Keywords: Cerebral palsy, assessment, caregivers, care providers
