Influência do ambiente na função manual de crianças com paralisia cerebral menores de 04 anos

Abstract

Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) encompasses permanent disorders of movement and posture, attributed to non-progressive brain injury occurring in the fetal or infant brain, resulting in significant functional limitations. Objective: To investigate the influence of the environment on the manual performance of 14 children with CP, aged 1 to 4 years, using the Mini-MACS in clinical and home contexts. Materials and Methods: The study was publicized in clinics located in Jundiaí and São Carlos. Fourteen children participated; after obtaining parental consent, they were filmed in a clinical setting performing manual activities to be classified using the Mini-MACS. Subsequently, the researcher interviewed the caregivers about the child’s manual performance and requested that the same activities be carried out at home. The videos were independently analyzed by two researchers for Mini-MACS classification. The qualitative assessment was conducted by researcher 1 and the caregivers. Data were organized in tables to facilitate interpretation. Results: The Mini-MACS classification remained stable across environments, confirming its reliability. However, the qualitative analysis revealed differences: some children demonstrated greater spontaneity and functionality at home, while others performed better in the clinical setting, benefiting from therapeutic stimuli. Conclusion: Assessments that integrate quantitative and qualitative data are essential to understanding child functionality and to planning interventions centered on the child, the family, and the context.