Table 2.

The PMD functional disability scoring system.

Education

0 — no formal schooling; 1 — special school or special education classes; 2 — regular classes, but not at grade level; 3 — regular school, grade appropriate for age (within 2 years)

Employment: If beyond school age

0 — unable to work/homebound; 1 — sheltered workshop (i.e. works at institution dedicated to disable employees); 2 — special job (i.e. works at conventional workplace, but requires special supervision); 3 — regular job

Speech

0 — no verbal communication; 1 — rare understandable words with nonverbal communication; 2 — speech understandable with difficulty; 3 — detectable speech disturbance but readily understood; 4 — normal speech

Feeding

0 — tube feedings only; 1 — some oral feeding, with supplemental tube feedings; 2 — oral feedings with consistency changes to diet; 3 — normal diet with occasional choking; 4 — normal swallowing

Dressing

0 — total dependence; 1 — Can assist with dressing but dependent on others 2 — independent, but with decreased efficiency; 3 — normal

Toileting

0 — total dependence; 1 — needs assistance; 2 — independent, but with decreased efficiency; 3 — normal

Writing

0 — total dependence; 1 — needs assistance; 2 — independent, but with decreased efficiency; 3 — normal

Sitting

0 — cannot sit without support; 2 — can sit without support

Walking

0 — wheelchair or bedbound; 1 — can crawl/bunny hop; 2 — can walk a few steps, but needs adaptive aids or other support; 3 — needs adaptive aids to walk 20 ft; 4 — impaired gait, but uses no assistive devices; 5 — normal gait

Breathing

0 — ventilator or constant respiratory support; 1 — intermittent use of non-invasive respiratory support; 2 — has respiratory symptoms but does not use ventilatory support; 3 — normal breathing