Sonja Mensch

72 Chapter 3 Evaluating the instruments Instruments identified as potentially suitable through the systematic review (Mensch et al., 2015) were; 1) The Chailey Levels of Ability (CLA) (Palisano., 1993) (Poutney, Mulchahy, Clarke, & Green., 2004) 2) Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) (Russell et al., 1989) (Ketelaar, Petegem van-Beek van, & Visser., 1999), 3) Modified Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale (MHFMS) (Krosschell et al., 2011) (Main, Kairon, Mercuri, & Muntoni., 2003), 4) Lower extremity physical functioning and mobility skills (LE85) (Gorton et al., 2010), 5) Motor function measure scale (MFM) (Berard, Payan, Hodgkinson, & Fermanian., 2005), 6) Top Down Motor Milestone Test (TDMMT) (Putten van der et al., 2005), 7) Vulpe Assessment Battery (VAB) (Jain, Turner, &Worrell., 1994) and 8) Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM) (Niewczyk & Granger., 2010). One of these instruments has been specifically developed for children with SMD (TDMMT), and the others for children with cerebral palsy (CLA, GMFM-88, LE85), spinal muscular atrophy (MHFMS), neuromuscular diseases (MFM), and motor disabilities in general (VAB, WeeFIM). The experts agreed that all of the criteria had to be met for an instrument to be suitable for children with SMD. They considered and discussed the possibility to adapt an existing instrument. The instrument’s clinical suitability is shown in the table below. Table: Scoring of the clinical suitability of the instruments Instrument Criteria of clinical suitability* Total of positive scored criteria 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) CLA + + - + - 3 GMFM + - - - + 2 MHFMS - - - - + 1 LE85 - + - - + 2 MFM - - - - - 0 TDMMT - - - + + 2 VAB - + + - - 2 WeeFIM - - - + + 2 *Criteria of clinical suitability 1) Low Level of motor abilities. 2) The grading or scoring. 3) Capability versus capacity and performance 4) Non-verbal instruction. 5) Manual support and/or support by devices + = positive scoring. - = negative scoring CLA = The Chailey Levels of Ability. GMFM-88 = Gross Motor Function Measure (88 items). MHFMS = Modified Hammersmith Function Motor Scale. LE 85 = Lower Extremity physical functioning and mobility skills. MFM = Motor Function Measure scale. TDMMT = Top Down Motor Milestone Test. VAB = Vulpe Assessment Battery. WeeFim = Functional Independence Measure for Children