F-2-08-02
CHRONOLOGICAL CHANGES OF FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE MEASURE FOR CHILDREN (WEE-FIM) SCORES IN JAPANESE CHILDREN
Meigen Liu, Kazuto Tsujiuchi, Tetsuya Tsuji, Youichiro Aoyagi, Naoichi Chino (Saitama Prefecture General Rehabilitation Center and Keio University, Saitama and Tokyo, Japan)
[Objectives] The objectives were to obtain normative data of the WeeFIM in Japanese children and compare them to the American data reported in the literature.
[Methods] 1) We assessed 110 non-disabled community children (52 boys and 58 girls) ages 6 months to 7 years with the WeeFIM, and examined the chronological changes of total scores and scores for each item. 3) We compared our data with the American data reported by Msall et al.
[Results] 1) Total WeeFIM scores increased with age, reaching a plateau at 60 to 72 months. 2) Total scores, motor and cognitive subscores correlated significantly with log age (R2 = 0.879, 0.862 and 0.848). 3) The chronological changes were similar to data reported by Msall et al. 4) There were three patterns of age-related changes in scores for each item; items showing high correlations with age (Spearman's rho > 0.80, grooming, bathing, dressing, toileting, toilet transfer, social interaction, problem solving and memory), moderate correlations (0.8 > rho > 0.7, eating, bladder, bowel, tub transfer, comprehension and expression) and lower correlations ( 0.7 > rho > 0.6, locomotion and chair transfer).
[Conclusion] This pilot study provided a preliminary normative data of the WeeFIM in Japanese children and demonstrated that they were similar to the American data.
F-2-08-03
A PILOT STUDY OF THE WEE-FIM IN JAPANESE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES - COMPARISON WITH STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL TESTS
Hiroyuki Toikawa, Meigen Liu, Masaru Seki, Yoshihisa Masakado, Naoichi Chino (Keio University and Saitama Prefecture General Rehabilitation Center, Tokyo and Saitama, Japan)
Objective: To examine concurrent validity of the Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM) in Japanese children with disabilities.
Patients: 44 children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (26 boys and 18 girls), ages 7 months to 12 years, were enrolled in this study. Developmental diagnosis included cerebral palsy (23%), multiple disabilities (CP+mental retardation) (32%), Down's syndrome (11%), epilepsy, cerebrovascular disease, spina bifida, and others.
Methods: The WeeFIM was administered to the parents of all children by personal interview. We assessed concurrent validity by comparing total WeeFIM scores to developmental ages obtained with two standardized developmental tests widely used in Japan (Tsumori and Enjyoji). We also compared WeeFIM subscores and the domains of Tsumori developmental test.
Results: 1) Total WeeFIM scores correlated highly with developmental ages as evaluated with either Tsumori or Enjyoji (Spearman's rho=0.967 and 0.949). 2) WeeFIM subscores correlated significantly with each related domain of Tsumori (self-care vs adaptive domain 0.956, sphincter control vs adaptive domain 0.785, transfer and locomotion vs gross motor domain 0.890, communication vs language domain 0.887, social cognition vs social domain 0.879).
Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated sufficient concurrent validity of the WeeFIM in Japanese children with disabilities.
