Manual Ability Classification System (MACS)

Question 1

What is the MACS?

Answer 1

The Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) has been developed to classify how children with cerebral palsy (CP) use their hands when handling objects in daily activities.

Question 2

How is the information gathered through MACS useful in assessment and intervention of individuals with Cerebral Palsy?

Answer 2

MACS has 5 levels based on a child’s self-initiated ability to handle objects and their need for assistance or adaptation to perform manual activities in everyday life. Knowing a child’s MACS level can help parents, teachers and others to understand situations in which a child is independent and the extent to which they need support or adaptations.

Question 3

How can MACS and QUEST be used together?

Answer 3

QUEST can be used to give a baseline while MACS is top-down and looks at the skills necessary to complete daily activities and address functional performance

Question 4

What are the primary differences between MACS and QUEST?

Answer 4

• MACS level stays relatively stable throughout life where as quest score can change
• MACS assesses what children can do in everyday life where quest assesses specific upper limb performance components
• MACS doesn’t take into account differences in hand function between left and right and looks at overall ability where quest assesses both left and right upper limb seperately.

Question 5

What age group is MACS suitable for?

Answer 5

4-18 years