الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Objective: Children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at their early childhood are more susceptible to neuromuscular and musculoskeletal impairments. This cross-sectional study was designed to assess various domains of fine motor skills besides the strength of hand musculature in children treated for ALL compared with a healthy control group. Methods: Fifty-four children treated for ALL on maintenance phase aged from 4 to 7 years, were compared to an age and sex-matched control group. Hand grip strength was examined using the Jamar hand-held dynamometer. Fine motor performance was assessed using the total fine motor form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-second edition (Bot-2). Results: Diminished hand grip strength was observed in ALL group for dominant hand (P=0.02) and the non-dominant hand (P=0.002). Children with ALL had significantly impaired fine motor skills in all measures of Bot-2 compared with the typically developing group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: from the obtained results of this study, children treated for ALL were more likely to develop muscle weakness and fine motor problems. Periodic evaluation during treatment is recommended to avoid any possible complications |