Investigation of the Dynamic Gait Index in children: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: We investigated the feasibility and construct validity of the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) in children and explored interrater and test-retest reliability.

METHODS

DGI performance of 10 children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), aged 8 to 15 years, was compared with that of 10 age- and sex-matched children with typical development (TD). Interrater reliability was evaluated for 16 children (10 TD, 6 FASD); 11 children returned for a retest (5 TD, 6 FASD).

RESULTS

The DGI is simple for raters to learn and easy to administer in children. A Mann-Whitney U test identified a significant difference on the DGI total score between children with FASD and TD (P = .01). Interrater and test-retest reliability were promising but need to be further explored.

CONCLUSIONS

The DGI was feasible and valid in a population of children aged 8 to 15 years with FASD and TD. Some modifications are suggested for administration of the DGI in children.