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Type of Measure: (Via CFCS Materials) The purpose of the CFCS is to classify the everyday communication performance of an individual into one of five levels. The CFCS focuses on activity and participation levels as described in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). This measure is analogous and complementary to the GMFCS and MACS.

Target Population: [communicated by author] children with communication disorders, originally just with cerebral palsy but more recently with children who do not have communication disorder.

Measurement properties and previous use: [Measurement properties described in Hidecker et al 2011]. The interrater reliability of the CFCS was 0.66 between two professionals and 0.49 between a parent and a professional. Professional interrater reliability improved to 0.77 for classification of children older than 4 years. The test–retest reliability was 0.82. This measure is also often used together with the GMFCS and MACS.

Languages: [via CFCS translations page] Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Dutch, English, German, Hebrew, Italian, Norwegian-SCPE, Polish, Poruguese (Brazilian), Spanish, Sedish-SCPE, Turkish. A “Universal” version is also available for people with speech impairments and developmental disabilities. Translation guidelines are also available.

Authors and Citation: Hidecker MJC, Paneth N, Rosenbaum PL, Kent RD, Lillie J, Eulenberg JB, Chester K Jr. Johnson B, Michalsen L, Poole M, Taylor K. (2011) Developing and validating the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) for Individuals with Cerebral Palsy. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology Aug;53(8):704-710.

Hidecker MJC, Ho NT, Dodge N, Hurvitz E, Slaughter J, Workinger MS et al. (2012) Inter-relationships of functional status in cerebral palsy: Analyzing Gross Motor Function, Manual Ability, and Communication Function Classification Systems in children. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 54(8):737-742.

Himmelmann K, Lindh K, Hidecker MJC. (2013) Communication ability in cerebral palsy: A study from the CP register of western Sweden. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2013 May 11.

Licence: [via author communication] Free to use for clinical, education, and research purposes. People are not allowed to modify the measure.

Link to measure: Authors’ website

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