Functional ability following amputation after meningococcal sepsis: pilot study

Research archive

Little is known about children's experience after amputation due to meningococcal septicaemia. This study aims to document the functional abilities of a group of such children, as a first significant step towards a comprehensive assessment of their quality of life and as a guide for the design of future prospective studies.

The study will involve a series of single-case discriminative assessments of functional abilities in every-day living, in the 20 children and youngpeople (<18 at onset of illness) who have had limb amputation following intensive care at St Mary's Hospital due to meningococcal septicaemia over a five-year period 1995-2000. The assessment will involve a structured interview and clinical observation taking 2-2 hours, in the family's home. The younger children(>7 years) will be assessed with the Paediatric Evaluation of Disability (PEDI), and the older ones with the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS). In younger children, much of the information will come from a parent, with older children participating more as appropriate for their age and skills.

As the potential participants represent perhaps one-third of the national experience of this situation, we hope the findings will be representative of a heterogeneous group. This is, however, a pilot study, designed to a) begin a process of comprehensive assessment of their Quality of Life, b) aid design of future prospective studies, and c) describe their current function for use by professionals advising, planning and elivering care to such children and their families in the future.

This project was featured in the Autumn 2004 edition of our newsletter, Microscope. Click to view.

This project was featured in the Autumn 2003 edition of our newsletter, Microscope. Click to view.