TURKISH JOURNAL OF PHYSIOTHERAPY REHABILITATION-FIZYOTERAPI REHABILITASYON, cilt.22, sa.3, ss.224-230, 2011 (ESCI)
Purpose: Our study was designed to examine the impact of visual perception and motor functions on the activities of daily living in children with disabilities. Methods: Thirty-five children with mild mental retardation between 5 and 17 years of age were recruited for the study. Activities of daily living were evaluated using the Functional Independence Measure (WeeFIM), visual perception was evaluated using the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT-3), and motor function was assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM). Results: Positive correlations were found between GMFM score and total WeeFIM score (r= 0.467) and sub-tests of WeeFIM including self-care (r= 0.513), mobility (r= 0.658), and locomotion (r= 0.453) scores (p< 0.05). Visual memory and visual closure and total scores of MVPT-3 were significantly related with WeeFIM total score (r= 0.440, r= 0.504, and r= 0.338, p< 0.05, respectively). Visual discrimination of MVPT-3 was significantly associated with self-care of WeeFIM (r= 0.346, p< 0.05). Conclusion: Sub-parameters of the visual perception were found to be important factors for independency in activities of daily living of children with disabilities. Selection of these kinds of tests provide information about evaluation of the level of the child's motor development, and also which tests should be selected to evaluate both upper and lower extremity motor function.