EVALUATION OF MOTOR AND SENSORY FUNCTIONS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES IN CHILDREN WITH HEMIPARETIC CEREBRAL PALSY BETWEEN THE AGES OF 6 AND 16 YEARS

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the relationship between gross and fine motor skills, hand-use experience, sense of two-point discrimination and psychological characteristics of patients with hemiparetic cerebral palsy (hCP).

Methods: 19 patients with hCP aged between 6 and 16 years without intellectual disability and 20 typically developing children (TDC) as a control group were prospectively evaluated. Box and Block Test (BBT), 9-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT), Two-point Discrimination Test (2PDT), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) parental version and Children's Hand-use Experience Questionnaire 2.0 (CHEQ) parental version were used. Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and Manual Skills Classification System (MACS) levels were evaluated.

Results: We found that gross (p=0.002) and fine (p=0.013) motor performances in dominant hand of children with hCP lag behind those of TDC. CHEQ scores indicate that non-dominant hand gross motor skills correlate with the experience children with hCP have during activities, where usually two hands are needed. Unlike TDC, emotional symptoms (p=0.001) and total difficulties scores (p=0.026) increase significantly in adolescence, compared to childhood. In children with hCP, along with the fingers of the non-dominant hand, index finger of the dominant hand also tends to have impaired sense of two-point discrimination and correlates with gross motor skills of both hands (p<0.05, r = -0.616).

Conclusion: Children with hCP tend to have sensory impairment and poor motor performance in both hands and are more likely to experience emotional symptoms and difficulties during adolescence. Therefore, they should be treated holistically and a multidisciplinary approach should be performed.
Keywords: hemiparetic cerebral palsy, unilateral cerebral palsy, motor, sensory, psychological