Toddlers with limb deficiency: Conceptual basis and initial application ofa functional status outcome measure

Objective: To describe the conceptual foundation, development, and initial psychometric analyses of a new outcome measure of functional status in todd lers with limb deficiency. Design: Parents of children with limb deficiency completed self-report meas ures during a routine medical clinic visit. Setting: Outpatient orthopedic pediatric clinic. Participants: Twenty parents (mothers) of children (ages 1 to 4 years) with acquired or congenital limb deficiency. Main Outcome Measure: The newly developed Child Amputee Prosthetics Project -Functional Status Inventory for Toddlers (CAPP-FSIT). Results: Estimates of internal consistency reliability of the measure are h igh, suggesting conceptual congruence among the items. Initial validity stu dies confirm the CAPP-FSIT differentiates between toddlers with upper limb deficiency and lower limb deficiency in terms of functional activity and pr osthesis use. The new measure does not appear to be contaminated by gender or socioeconomic status. Conclusion: The CAPP-FSIT is a promising measure for assessing functional a bilities in toddlers with limb deficiency. (C) 1999 by the American Congres s of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.