Motor Scores on the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) After Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

This study looks at the motor function of children with spinal cord injuries (SCI) using a tool called the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). It aims to understand how well these children can perform motor tasks and what factors influence their abilities. The researchers analyzed data from 941 children with SCI, examining their FIM motor scores at admission to a hospital and the gains they made by the time of discharge. They also considered factors like the level of their injury, whether the injury was complete or incomplete, their age, the cause of the injury, and the time between the injury and admission to the hospital. The study found that children's motor function after SCI is related to the level and completeness of their injury. Importantly, it showed that children can improve their FIM motor scores with intervention, even years after the initial injury.

• 1
  FIM motor scores at admission were negatively correlated with age, neurological level, and completeness of injury, indicating that older children and those with more severe injuries had lower initial scores.
• 2
  Gain in FIM motor scores was significant across neurological levels and was associated with lower admission FIM motor scores, lower neurological level, incomplete injury, traumatic injury, and less time between injury and admission.
• 3
  Regression analysis showed that FIM admission score and the neurological level had the strongest effects on FIM gain.