Comparison of Motor Functions and Quality of Life According to Feeding Type in Children With Cerebral Palsy

The Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM) is an observational clinical tool to evaluate motor function of children with CP. It has five basic sections that evaluate motor function in detail, including lying and rolling; sitting; crawling and kneeling; standing; and walking, running, and jumping, with a total of 88 items. Each evaluation is scored according to the level of achieving gross motor function without considering the quality of movement. While children performing each task in the GMFM, a physiotherapist scored each evaluation on a Likert scale between 0 to 3, of which 0 means 'Does not initiate' and 3 means 'Completes'.

The Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) was used to classify the level of gross motor functions in children with CP, and levels were based on child-initiated movement abilities, with emphasis on sitting, displacement, and mobility. The GMFCS uses a rating system of Level I to Level V, of which Level I shows the most independent functional motor level and Level V shows the most dependent functional motor level.

Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) was used to measure the parent-reported quality of life of children. The items of the PedsQL were scored between 0 to 100, of which 100 means "never", 75 means "almost never", 50 means "sometimes", 25 means "often", and 0 means "almost always". Points are collected and divided by the number of items filled to obtain the total score. Higher scores indicate better health-related quality of life.

The Turkish version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to measure anxiety and depression levels of caregivers of children with CP. Both scales consist of 21 question and scored between 0-3. The highest score is 63.Higher scores indicate more severe anxiety or depression of an individual.