Developing and validating the Communication Function Classification System for individuals with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Aim The purpose of this study was to create and validate a Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) for children with cerebral palsy (CP) that can be used by a wide variety of individuals who are interested in CP. This paper reports the content validity, interrater reliability, and test–retest reliability of the CFCS for children with CP. Method An 11-member development team created comprehensive descriptions of the CFCS levels, and four nominal groups comprising 27 participants critiqued these levels. Within a Delphi survey, 112 participants commented on the clarity and usefulness of the CFCS. Interrater reliability was completed by 61 professionals and 68 parents/relatives who classified 69 children with CP aged 2 to 18 years. Test–retest reliability was completed by 48 professionals who allowed at least 2 weeks between classifications. The participants who assessed the CFCS were all relevant stakeholders: adults with CP, parents of children with CP, educators, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physicians, and speech–language pathologists. Results The interrater reliability of the CFCS was 0.66 between two professionals and 0.49 between a parent and a professional. Professional interrater reliability improved to 0.77 for classification of children older than 4 years. The test–retest reliability was 0.82. Interpretation The CFCS demonstrates content validity and shows very good test–retest reliability, good professional interrater reliability, and moderate parent–professional interrater reliability. Combining the CFCS with the Gross Motor Function Classification System and the Manual Ability Classification System contributes to a functional performance view of daily life for individuals with CP, in accordance with the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Development of The Viking Speech Scale to classify the speech of children with cerebral palsy

“…The scale may complement other scales (Barty & Caynes, 2009;Hidecker et al, 2011) of communication, showing the extent to which motor speech disorders impact on communication performance.…”

“…Unlike other classification systems (Beckung & Hagberg, 2002;Eliasson et al, 2006;Hidecker et al, 2011;Palisano et al, 1997), the Viking Speech Scale contains four levels. The scale's levels were determined by the need to create meaningful categories for epidemiological surveillance.…”

“…One describes children's performance in sending and receiving messages (Hidecker et al, 2011); the other rates expression only (Barty & Caynes, 2009). These scales classify children's success in communicating information using their usual modes of communication.…”

Genomic analysis identifies masqueraders of full‐term cerebral palsy

“…For each patient, demographic and clinical data were collected from the patient's chart, which included gender, age, age at diagnosis, details of pregnancy and birth, gestational weeks, birth weight, head circumference, neonatal events, type of CP, comorbidities, brain MRI findings, and functional classification scores for CP, such as the Gross Motor Function Classification Scale,10 the Manual Ability Classification System,11 and the Communication Function Classification System 12. The types of CP (spastic diplegia, ataxic type, diskinetic type, and mixed type) were classified based on previous reports,9, 13 and the brain MRI was performed as previously described 9…”

Perspectives on Postural Control Dysfunction to Inform Future Research: A Delphi Study for Children With Cerebral Palsy

“…4. Discordant: For all of these items, respondents could not agree; therefore, items were retained and then re-presented without change in Round 3 (see fig 1).…”