Affiliations: [a] Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA | [b] Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA | [c] Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Gitendra Uswatte, Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1530 3rd Avenue S., Rm. CH415, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. E-mail:guswatte@uab.edu
Abstract:
PURPOSE: In adults with hemiparesis amount of movement of the
more-affected arm is related to its amount of use in daily life. In
children, little is known about everyday arm use. This report examines the
relationships between everyday movement of the more-affected arm and its (a)
everyday use and (b) motor capacity in children with hemiparesis. METHODS: Participants were 28 children with a wide range of
upper-extremity hemiparesis subsequent to cerebral palsy due to pre- or
peri-natal stroke. Everyday movement of the more-affected arm was assessed
by putting accelerometers on the children's forearms for three days.
Everyday use of that arm and its motor capacity were assessed with the
Pediatric Motor Activity Log-Revised and Pediatric Arm Function Test,
respectively. RESULTS: Intensity of everyday movement of the more-affected arm was
correlated with its motor capacity (rs ≥ 0.52, ps ≤ 0.003). However,
everyday movement of that arm was not correlated with its everyday use (rs ≤ 0.30,
ps ≥$ 0.126). CONCLUSIONS: In children with upper-extremity hemiparesis who meet
the study intake criteria amount of movement of the more-affected arm in
daily life is not related to its amount to use, suggesting that children
differ from adults in this respect.
