Association Between Motor Abilities And Cognitive Function In Children With Cerebral Palsy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66021/pakmcr852Keywords:
Cognitive function, Cerebral palsy, Motor abilitiesAbstract
Background
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that involve abnormalities in posture, disturbances in muscle tone, and limitations in activity. It is the most common physical disability of childhood and results from non-progressive damage to the developing fetal brain.
Objectives
The primary objective of this study was to investigate the association between cognition and motor function in children with cerebral palsy. The secondary objective was to evaluate the change in correlation between cognition and motor function over a period of six months in previously collected data.
Methodology
This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Helping Hand Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences, Mansehra. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were recruited through convenient sampling. Motor abilities were assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure, and cognitive abilities were assessed using the Colored Progressive Matrices.
Results
A total of 106 children participated, of whom 63 percent were male and 37 percent were female. Most children were classified at level three for motor function and grade five for cognition. Simple linear regression analysis showed a positive moderate relationship between cognition and motor function (R = 0.523), with cognition variance explained at 27.3 percent and a significant p-value (≤ 0.001). Correlation analysis also demonstrated a positive moderate relationship (r = 0.580, p ≤ 0.001). Wilcoxon testing revealed that the change in motor scores over six months (Δ = 15.2) was not significant (p = 0.096), while the change in cognitive scores (Δ = 0) was significant (p = 0.023).
Conclusion
The study found a positive moderate relationship between motor function and cognition in children with cerebral palsy. Significant variance was observed in motor and cognitive scores, and a positive moderate correlation was established. Over six months, cognitive scores showed a significant change, while motor scores did not.
