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Research Article

Selecting assessment tools to characterize upper limb function of children with cerebral palsy: A mega-review of systematic reviews

ORCID Icon, , ORCID Icon, ORCID Icon & ORCID Icon
Pages 378-391 | Received 16 May 2021, Accepted 22 Feb 2022, Published online: 12 Mar 2022
 

ABSTRACT

Aim

A mega-review of published systematic reviews without restriction on year of publication was implemented to summarize available assessment tools of upper limb (UL) function in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP).

Method

A multi-prong search strategy was used to identify 12 systematic literature reviews for inclusion in the mega-review. Included reviews were coded by descriptive analyses, which included methodological and reported measurement property description. Methodological quality of the selected systematic reviews was evaluated with the AMSTAR-2. We synthetized the measurement properties of the revised assessment tools and their coverage within the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domains.

Results

The 12 systematic reviews addressed 84 assessment tools. Systematic reviews’ methodological quality varied between critically low to moderate. Suggested assessment tools covered ICF domains of body structure and function, and activities and participation. Measurement property data analysis was based mostly on reliability and validity.

Interpretation

Based on the findings of the mega-review, the ABILHAND-Kids, Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA) and Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function (MUUL) are the most suitable tools to evaluate children between 6 and 12 years of age with unilateral CP.

Abbreviations

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website

Additional information

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001.

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