Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common cause of impairment in children, resulting in unique and individual needs. Services for CP often focus on treating impairments rather than improving activities. To provide a comprehensive description of CP children’s skills, four functional scales were selected: Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), Communication Function Classification System (CFCS), Functional Mobility Scale (FMS), and Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM). Objective: Our study aims to describe functional profiles of a sample of children with CP in Tunisia by using familiar international functional measures. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 80 children with CP (43 boys and 37 girls with mean age of 6.55 ± 3.49 years) in Tunisia using a clinical evaluation questionnaire and functional scales: MACS, CFCS, FMS, and WeeFIM. Results: Spastic (75%) was the most common type, followed by dyskinetic (13.8%) and ataxic (11.2%). We found a significant association between CP subtypes, and FMS 500 and CFCS. Most children required assistance in WeeFIM domains: selfcare, mobility, and cognition. Unilateral group members performed higher in both mobility and manual ability scores. The spastic bilateral group had more difficulties with mobility and hand function abilities. Conclusion: Children with CP present heterogenous functional profiles. Therefore, healthcare givers are encouraged to use functional classifications in addition to traditional subtypes, to provide a better assessment, an easier interdisciplinary communication, and a more comprehensive care plan for these children.
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Boudokhane, S. , Mastour, H. , Kalai, A. , Jellad, A. , Youssef, I. B. H. , Migaou, H. and Frih, Z. B. S. (2023). Functional Classification of Tunisian Children with Cerebral Palsy Based on Mobility and Manual Ability. Open Access Library Journal, 10, e787. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1110787.
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