PREPARING THE QUESTIONNAIRE TO DETERMINE THE FUNCTIONAL LEVEL IN CHILDREN WITH LIMB LOSS/DEFICIENCY AND PRE-OUTCOMES

Purpose: To prepare an authentic scale for child amputees and to determine the functional level of amputee children with their prosthesis. Methods: Children with limb loss/deficiency (n = 20) aged between 6-12 years who used their prosthesis at least for 1 year were enrolled in this study. The second group consisted of healthy children (n = 25). Twenty-two disabled children with physically disabled and attending to special education school were enrolled to the control group. All the children were assessed with the Functional Level Determining Scale (FLDS) designed for the children between 6-12 ages. Results: Demographic characteristics such as age, sex and body mass index were same for each group (p > 0.05). Although the scores of FLDS were in similar in the groups of amputee and healthy children (p > 0.05), their scores were higher than the children who had physical disabled (p < 0.05). When the children with limb loss/deficiency were divided into two group as acquired and congenital, the congenital group were more functional (p < 0.05). The children who used prosthesis for longer term were more successful in the activities (p < 0.05). Although there is no difference statistically, the scale was recorded as sensitive to speed in functional activities. Discussion: Regardless of the cause or level of amputation, amputation less affects than other physical disabilities on functional level. Early prosthetic applications contribute to the functional level of children. This outcome is thought that the scale is contributed to determine the functional level in children with limb loss/deficienc