Purpose

This study describes the development of four age-based item code sets from WHO's International classification of functioning disability and health, children and youth version (ICF-CY). Given the continuing goal of universal implementation of the ICF-CY, a reduced set of codes was identified from more than 1600 codes to facilitate the use of the classification for clinical, research and policy applications of the ICF-CY

Methods

The ICF-CY developmental code sets were developed by consensus using the Delphi method. A multi-disciplinary group of international experts representing 27 countries from 5 WHO world regions completed a series of iterative online surveys to rate categories of child functioning essential for inclusion in the respective age-based code set.

Results

Four age-based code sets covering 37, 52, 60 and 57 codes across four domains of the ICF-CY were successfully derived with a high level of participant consensus. The code sets align with developmental theory and represent essential indicators of functioning defining key stages of child development.

Conclusion

The ICF-CY developmental code sets offer a common, universal language of childhood functioning and disability with global application for multidisciplinary research, clinical practice and policy.

Implications for rehabilitation

Broad umbrella terms, such as children with disabilities, neurodiversity and neurodevelopmental disabilities are widely used in the literature but not defined in a consistent, universal language.

Codes from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY) offer a universal language of health and functioning.

ICF-CY item codes were developed by consensus for four age groups of children, providing a universal language of disability for:

• epidemiological studies of disability prevalence
• screening and assessment tools
• documenting intervention goals and outcomes