Motor scores on the functional independence measure after pediatric spinal cord injury

• Published in: Spinal cord 2009-03, Vol.47 (3), p.213-217
• Main Authors: Allen, D D, Mulcahey, M J, Haley, S M, DeVivo, M J, Vogel, L C, McDonald, C, Duffy, T, Betz, R R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Adolescent; Anatomy; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cerebrospinal fluid. Meninges. Spinal cord; Child; Child, Preschool; Disability Evaluation; Female; Human Physiology; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents; Length of Stay; Male; Medical sciences; Motor Activity - physiology; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurochemistry; Neurology; Neuropsychology; Neurosciences; original-article; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Patient Discharge - statistics & numerical data; Pediatrics; Retrospective Studies; Spinal Cord Injuries - physiopathology; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1362-4393; 1476-5624
• DOI: 10.1038/sc.2008.94

Study design: Retrospective descriptive analysis. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to report the functional ability of children with spinal cord injury (SCI) as recorded on motor items of the functional independence measure (FIM) and to examine the factors associated with FIM motor admission and post-discharge gain scores. Methods: Scores on FIM motor items were analyzed from 941 children (age range: 0–21 years; mean: 13 years 4 months; s.d.: 4 years 8 months) admitted in acute-to-chronic time periods post-SCI to Shriners Hospitals for Children (USA). FIM motor scores at admission and gains at discharge were examined along with neurological level, completeness of injury, age, etiology of injury, and length of time between injury and admission and admission and discharge. Results: The FIM motor scores at admission were negatively correlated with age, neurological level and completeness of injury. Gain in FIM motor scores was significant across neurological levels, and was associated with lower admission FIM motor scores, lower neurological level, incomplete injury, traumatic injury and less time between injury and admission. Conclusions: The motor function of children after pediatric SCI depends on neurological level and completeness of injury, among other factors. FIM motor scores can improve with intervention even several years after the injury.