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Quality of life (QoL) for disabled children often has been assessed based on functional status or parental perceptions rather than direct reports from the children.
Researchers interviewed 8- to-12-year-old children with cerebral palsy using a validated instrument measuring 10 domains of childhood QoL and two additional questions about frequency and severity of pain. Parents provided information about motor function, intellect, and other variables. Of 818 children randomly selected from registries in six European countries, 318 could not participate because of severe intellectual impairment.
Specific functional impairments were associated with poorer QoL for four domains: Limited ambulation was associated with poorer physical well-being, inte…