Biomedical subjects

E Beckung

Publications and source records attributed to E Beckung.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Muscle strength and motor function in children and adolescents with spinal muscular atrophy II and III.

The aim of this study was to quantify isometric muscle strength and motor function in children and adolescents with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and to analyse the impact of reduced muscle strength on motor function. Six children and adolescents with SMA II and eight with SMA IlI were assessed regarding isometric muscle strength and motor function. Isometric muscle strength was tested with a myometer and the values obtained were compared with normative data. Motor function was videotaped and 20 movements were scored according to a three-point scale. All of the assessed children and adolescents with SMA II and SMA III showed reduced muscle strength, but there were great differences within the group. The typical pattern of muscle weakness in SMA, with proximal weakness greater than distal and the lower limbs more affected than the upper, was also seen in these children. The muscle weakness affected motor function in all assessed children. Walking, transfer from lying or sitting to the standing position and stair-climbing were possible in some of the children, despite marked reduction of muscle strength. The study increases our knowledge concerning the degree of muscle weakness in children with SMA and the impact of muscle weakness on motor function. The results increase our possibilities of understanding the prerequisites for everyday life in these children and planning therapeutic interventions. Repeated assessments with the methods used in this study may be used to monitor the course of the disease and to evaluate the efficacy of treatment.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2001

Changing panorama of cerebral palsy in Sweden. VIII. Prevalence and origin in the birth year period 1991-94.

UNLABELLED: This 8th Swedish population-based cerebral palsy (CP) report comprises 241 children born 1991-94. The live birth prevalence was 2.12 per 1000. Excluding 7 postnatally-derived cases, the gestational age-specific prevalences were 86 for extremely preterm children, 60 for very preterm and 6 for moderately preterm, and 1.3 for term children per 1000. Spastic hemiplegic, diplegic and tetraplegic subtypes accounted for 33%, 44% and 6%, dyskinetic CP for 12% and simple ataxia for 4%. Neuroimaging had been performed in 90%. Probable aetiology was identified in 73% of preterm and 86% of term children. Among preterm children it was considered prenatal in 12%, peri/neonatal in 61% and unclassifiable in 27%, while it was 51%, 36% and 14% among term children. CONCLUSION: The live birth prevalence for CP in the birth year period 1991-94 continued to decrease slightly. Gestational age-specific prevalences increased marginally in extremely and very preterm births, continued to decrease in moderately preterm births and decreased slightly in term births. Probable aetiology and timing of the brain insult could be revealed in 81%, birth asphyxia being the likely cause in 28% of term children.

Cerebral Palsy↗

PubMed2000

Correlation between ICIDH handicap code and Gross Motor Function Classification System in children with cerebral palsy.

The aim of this study was to apply the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicap (ICIDH; WHO 1980) parallel to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS; Palisano et al. 1997) in a population-based series of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Of the 116 children studied, birth characteristics, data on gross motor function, and level of handicap at 5 to 6 years of age, were retrospectively collected from medical records and documentation made by rehabilitation team members. Low handicap scores and mild levels of gross motor disability were present in children with hemiplegic CP, moderate scores in children with diplegic CP, simple ataxia, and athetotic CP, and high scores in children with dystonic CP and tetraplegic CP. A significant correlation was found between high handicap scores as well as high levels on the GMFCS and the presence of learning disability, epilepsy, and obvious aetiology of CP. A strong correlation was found between the handicap code and the GMFCS, the strongest concerning the dimension of mobility (r = 0.95,p<0.0001). A striking similarity in the grading of disability was present between the ICIDH handicap code and the GMFCS. The GMFCS is considerably less time-consuming and can be evaluated retrospectively. The handicap code requires more detailed information and is more useful for a comprehensive profile of the child.

Cerebral Palsy↗

PubMed1999

Self-assessment of well-being in a group of children with epilepsy.

Epilepsy is common in childhood, the prevalence being about five per 1000 children. The purpose of this study was to assess well-being in children with controlled epilepsy (but did not include those with obvious neurodeficits such as mental retardation or cerebral palsy) and compare them with age-matched healthy children. The patient group comprised of 31 children, 12 boys and 19 girls, whereas the control population group consisted of 342 children, 176 boys and 166 girls who were all in good health. All children involved in the study were aged between 9-13 years. A questionnaire was distributed to the children to complete. It consisted of 39 bipolar adjectives and a visual analogue scale was employed. The results show that the group of children with controlled epilepsy did not differ significantly from the age-matched control group. There was no significant difference between the sexes except for the dimension of vitality, where the boys scored better than the girls. Thus the well-being of children with controlled epilepsy seems to be similar to that of children from a control population. The psychometric properties of the instrument were also assessed. An assessment of well-being in children with intractable epilepsy, using a similar approach, is in progress.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1997

Motor and sensory dysfunctions in children with mental retardation and epilepsy.

The aim of this study was to assess motor and sensory functions in a population-based series of 88 mentally retarded children with epilepsy. A new standardized physiotherapy protocol was developed for the heterogeneous population of children with epilepsy; the Cailler-Azusa scale was also found to be useful. For children with cerebral palsy, the gross motor function measure was used. Sensorimotor impairments, resulting in disabilities and handicap, were found to be very common but often overlooked and neglected. Sensorimotor dysfunctions need to be identified in order to provide rational training, understanding and care to children with epilepsy and mental retardation.

Cerebral Palsy↗

PubMed1997

Hidden dysfunction in childhood epilepsy.

Sensory and motor function were evaluated in 84 children and adolescents with epilepsy but not additional neuroimpairments such as mental retardation or cerebral palsy. The influence of sex, age, age at onset of epilepsy, duration, seizure type and frequency and medication was analysed. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency and the EB (Eva Beckung) test were used. We found significant dysfunction in gross as well as in fine motor functions. The most obvious deviation from normal was noted in gross motor function, mainly in the areas of running speed, balance, response speed and bilateral coordination, but also in upper-limb speed, dexterity and coordination. Boys performed better than girls. Motor function scores improved with age but sensory and motor problems persisted in the teenage years. Early onset and a long duration of the epilepsy were associated with significantly more sensory and motor difficulties. The children on monotherapy performed significantly better than the children on polytherapy and, surprisingly, also better than those without antiepileptic medication. Sensory and motor function should be carefully investigated in the context of a comprehensive rehabilitation programme for children with epilepsy.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Impairments, disabilities and handicaps in children and adolescents with epilepsy.

The patterns of motor and sensory impairments, disabilities and handicap were assessed in 217 children and adolescents with epilepsy. Motor and sensory dysfunctions were found to be common even in children without major additional neurodisorders such as cerebral palsy and mental retardation. Handicap was most severe in the dimensions of physical independence and orientation and increased significantly with duration of epilepsy. It was more severe when the onset of seizures was early and when secondary generalized seizures were present. Handicap was significantly reduced after epilepsy surgery.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

The effects of epilepsy surgery on the sensorimotor function of children.

The motor and sensory functions of 50 children were investigated before and six months after epilepsy surgery; 34 infants were assessed 24 months after surgery. Postoperatively, 20 children were seizure-free and 22 had a significant reduction of seizures. Epilepsy surgery was found to be an effective mode of treatment for intractable seizures in childhood, even in multiply handicapped individuals. Motor and sensory functions did not deteriorate after surgery; in fact, significant improvements were found in more than half of the children, including those with multiple handicaps. Improvements were most obvious in the seizure-free group, but were also noted in those with reduced seizure frequency. The younger children benefited more from surgery as regards sensorimotor function than did older children and adolescents.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Motor and sensory impairments in children with intractable epilepsy.

During a 3-year period (1988-1991), 72 children with severe intractable epilepsy were studied. A standardized protocol for assessment of motor and sensory function was designed for school age children. Function was quantified on a 4-point scale on 47 items, including gross motor function, balance, coordination, strength, range of motion (ROM), velocity, fine motor function, sensation, perception, and neurologic tests. Classification of handicaps according to World Health Organization (WHO) definitions was performed. Videotape documentation completed the assessment. Evaluation of treatment services showed that provision of rehabilitation services had been insufficient and provided only for children with additional major movement disorders, mainly cerebral palsy (CP) cases. To minimize the handicap in children with severe epilepsy, it is essential to clarify the total sensorimotor impairment pattern, including balance, coordination, and perceptual capacity. Impairments in these functions are, as shown in this study, frequent and exist independent of major disabilities such as mental retardation or cerebral palsy. When several neuroimpairments were identified, a multiplicative rather than an additive effect on the total handicap was evident.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Late outcome after severe traumatic brain injury in children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: Eighteen surviving adolescents with severe traumatic brain injury were re-examined a mean period of 7.1 years after their trauma in order to determine their life situation, motor, cognitive functions and pattern of handicap. METHODS: A structured interview, the EB test of motor function, Ravens's progressive matrices, Peabody's neuropsychological test, SPIQ and the WHO classification of handicap were used. RESULTS: The group had a mean WHO Classification of Handicap score of 1.61 (SD 1.60) revealing mild handicap, and performed as a group significantly subnormal (p < 0.0001) in gross motor, fine motor, sensibility and perception sub-tests. The EB test revealed a mean value of 2.23 (SD 0.89) corresponding to mild disability. The mean non-verbal IQ score of 93.1 (SD 13.9) and the verbal score of 93.4 (SD 14.8) were within normal limits. CONCLUSIONS: Only 28% of the group of surviving adolescent TBI victims functioned within normal limits. The most crucial disabling component was poor social integration, which was clearly demonstrated in the WHO score.

Adolescent↗