Pain, anxiety, and cooperativeness in children with cerebral palsy after rhizotomy: changes throughout rehabilitation.

Assessed pain, anxiety, physical functioning, and cooperativeness in 32 children with spastic cerebral palsy. This is the first study to assess children throughout rehabilitation following selective posterior rhizotomy. Results of the Observational Scale of Behavioral Distress and observer Likert ratings confirmed the hypothesis that children's pain and anxiety decrease over time. Children's physical functioning and cooperativeness improve over time. No significant correlation was found between pain and changes in physical functioning. Cognitive impairment, parental involvement, and children's pain behaviors explained 77% and 56% of the variance in two forms of cooperativeness. Research and clinical implications are discussed, and special considerations regarding pain assessment and management in this population are addressed.