Which assessment tools are recommended for evaluating motor function in children with cerebral palsy?

Recommended assessment tools for evaluating motor function in children with cerebral palsy include:

• The General Movement Assessment (GMA) for children between 0 and 3 months at increased risk of cerebral palsy, used during routine neonatal follow-up to detect early motor abnormalities.
• The Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) score, used after diagnosis of cerebral palsy to classify the severity of motor function impairment and guide ongoing assessment and management.

These tools are part of a comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment approach to monitor motor development and identify delays or abnormalities in children with or at risk of cerebral palsy.

Additional clinical observations include recognition of abnormal motor features such as unusual fidgety movements, asymmetry, abnormalities of tone, and delayed motor milestones (e.g., not sitting by 8 months or not walking by 18 months corrected age), which prompt referral for further assessment.