Ambulatory capacity in cerebral palsy: prognostic criteria and consequences for intervention.

In conclusion, although the importance of encouraging the development of physical abilities remains, in certain cases we cannot simply wait for years to see whether a child will eventually become an effective walker as a result of physiotherapy or orthopaedic interventions. Powered mobility should be considered as a means of providing efficient, autonomous locomotion for children with severe motor disabilities, so enabling them to become more active participants in their own lives rather than remaining spectators. Children with moderate levels of motor impairment could be encouraged to see wheelchair use as beneficial in some circumstances and not an irreversible failure.