Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity for Spastic Cerebral Palsy: SCALE and Mini-SCALE
Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity for Spastic Cerebral Palsy: SCALE and Mini-SCALE
September 26, 2026
8:00-10:00 am Pacific Time
Zoom Webinar
Registration: UC employees
Course Description:
Selective motor control (SMC) is an important predictor of function in spastic cerebral palsy (CP). The Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity (SCALE) is used to assess SMC in individuals ages 4 years and older who can follow verbal directions. Mini-SCALE (Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity for Infants and Toddlers) is a recently developed observational assessment of SMC for infants and young children, 3 months to < 4 years of age. We will provide an overview of SMC in spastic CP, review the original SCALE and describe the rationale, development, administration and scoring of Mini-SCALE.
Spastic CP is associated with damage to the corticospinal tracts (CSTs) responsible for the selectivity, force, speed and rapid recruitment of motor neurons needed for skilled movement. Impaired SMC has been shown to be the strongest predictor of gross motor function using SCALE. Recent identification of CP as early as 3 months corrected age creates new opportunities for earlier intervention and the need to explore SMC development and assessment in infants and toddlers. As early as 3 months of age, infants who later developed CP demonstrated decreased SMC of the lower extremities during spontaneous kicking. CSTs are undergoing growth and rapid myelination in early life, making this an optimal time for intervention. We need to provide targeted physical therapy for infants and young children; however, the components of our therapy have not been extensively studied. In order to develop intervention programs targeting SMC in infants and toddlers, assessments must be tailored to these age groups.
We will provide an overview of SMC and impairment in spastic CP. SCALE and associated biomechanical and MRI findings will be reviewed. We will present Mini-SCALE, a recently developed observational assessment of SMC for infants and toddlers. Development of the assessment and information about its validity will be described. We will provide instruction in the administration of Mini-SCALE. The audience will practice scoring from video examples during an interactive audience participation and discussion session.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of this class, the participants will be able to:
- Define selective motor control (SMC) of the lower extremities and describe its impact on the function and participation of children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP).
- Understand the administration and scoring of SCALE (Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity) for ages 4 and older.
- Understand the administration and scoring of Mini-SCALE (Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity for Infants and Toddlers).
- Use Mini-SCALE to accurately evaluate SMC from videos of infants and toddlers with typical development, CP and high risk for CP.
Course Schedule/Agenda:
8:00-8:20 Introduction and Background of Selective Motor Control
8:20-8:50 Review of SCALE with Video Examples
8:50-9:20 Mini-SCALE: Development, Administration and Scoring
9:20-9:30 Break/Question and Answer
9:30-10:00 Practice Scoring Mini-SCALE: Interactive Session
Instructional Methods: Intermediate
Target Audience: PT, OT, PTA, COTA
Educational Level: Intermediate
Prerequisites: None
Completion Requirements: To earn a certificate of completion, participants must:
- Attend the entire duration of the professional development activity.
- Actively participate in the Q&A session.
- Complete the post-course evaluation no later than 48 hours after the class. A link to the evaluation will be emailed to you following the class.
- No partial credit will be awarded.
Cancellation Policy:
Provider Cancelation: The Rehab Education Committee reserves the right to cancel a course due to low enrollment, unforeseen circumstances, or instructor availability. In such cases, participants will be notified via email as soon as possible.
Participant Cancellation: If you are unable to attend, please email [email protected] at least 7 days before the course date. This class is non-refundable for UC employees. Non‑UC participants are eligible for a refund if requested at least 7 days before the class.
Complaint Policy: UCLA Rehabilitation Education Committee strive to provide professional development that highlights today’s best practices. If you have complaints, please contact [email protected] no later than a week after the event and the Education Committee will review your concerns and respond to you as soon as possible.
Accommodation Request: For questions and accessibility request, contact Joan Vicente at [email protected] or at 424-440-0369 seven days before the course date.
Instructors
Eileen Fowler, PhD
Dr. Fowler directs the research and education programs at the Center. The Center’s research examines the underlying causes of movement and function disorders and cerebral palsy and assesses the effectiveness of various treatment interventions on these disorders. Dr. Fowler served as president of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine for the 2015 – 2016 term.
Instructor Disclosure: Dr. Eileen Fowler is a paid employee of UCLA Health.
Loretta A. Staudt, PT, MS
Loretta Staudt is a research physical therapist in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She worked for over 30 years on the interdisciplinary team at the UCLA Intervention Program integrating physical therapy principles into the educational curriculum for infants and toddlers. She developed clinical and research programs for the selective posterior rhizotomy procedure for spastic cerebral palsy in Pediatric Neurosurgery at UCLA and was a co-founder of the Center for Cerebral Palsy at UCLA/Orthopaedic Institute for Children. Ms. Staudt is co-developer of the SCALE (Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity) evaluation tool and the Mini-SCALE. She was a clinical evaluator for clinical trials for neuromuscular diseases at UCLA. She has been a speaker at numerous professional courses and workshops nationally and internationally.
Instructor Disclosure: Loretta Staudt is a retired employee of UCLA Health.
CEU
PT
UCLA Health Rehabilitation Services is recognized by the PT Board of California as an approval agency for continuing competency for CA licensed PTs and PTAs. This course is approved for 2 contact hours.
California BOT does not require Board‑approved CE courses, so OTs may count this class toward PDUs as long as it is relevant to OT practice and provides measurable hours with a certificate of completion.