Risk Factors for Seizures in Children with Cerebral Palsy – A Descriptive Study

This study aims to identify the risk factors leading to the development of severe scoliosis among children with cerebral palsy. A cross-sectional descriptive study of 70 children (aged 12-18 years) with severe spastic and/or dystonic cerebral palsy treated in a single specialist unit is described. Statistical analysis included Fisher exact test and logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors. Severe scoliosis is more likely to occur in patients with intractable epilepsy ( P = .008), poor gross motor functional assessment scores ( P = .018), limb spasticity ( P = .045), a history of previous hip surgery ( P = .048), and nonambulatory patients ( P = .013). Logistic regression model confirms the major risk factors are previous hip surgery ( P = .001), moderate to severe epilepsy ( P = .007), and female gender ( P = .03). History of previous hip surgery, intractable epilepsy, and female gender are predictors of developing severe scoliosis in children with cerebral palsy. This knowledge should aid in the early diagnosis of scoliosis and timely referral to specialist services.

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A Cross-sectional Study of the Clinical Profile of Children With Cerebral Palsy in Benin, a West African Low-Income Country

Journal of Child Neurology ◽

10.1177/0883073819864516 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (13) ◽

pp. 842-850

Author(s):

Emmanuel Segnon Sogbossi ◽

Damienne Houekpetodji ◽

Toussaint G. Kpadonou ◽

Yannick Bleyenheuft

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Low Income ◽

Classification System ◽

West African ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Common Cause ◽

Low Income Country ◽

Children With Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a common cause of pediatric motor disability. Although there are increasing amounts of data on the clinical profile of children with cerebral palsy in high-income countries, corresponding information about low-income countries and developing countries is lacking. Therefore, we aimed to describe the clinical spectrum of cerebral palsy in children in Benin, a representative West African low-income country. Our cross-sectional observational study included 114 children with cerebral palsy recruited from community-based rehabilitation centers and teaching hospitals (median age: 7 years, range 2-17; sex: 66% male). Data were collected through review of medical records and interviews with children’s mothers. Assessment included risk factors, clinical subtypes according to the Surveillance of CP in Europe criteria, severity of motor outcome scored by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and Manual Ability Classification System, comorbidities, and school attendance. We recorded a high prevalence of intrapartum adverse events. Seventeen percent of children had postneonatal cerebral palsy, with cerebral malaria being the most common cause. Most children were severely affected (67.5% as bilateral spastic; 54.4% as GMFCS IV or V), but severity declined substantially with age. Only 23% of the children with cerebral palsy had attended school. Poor motor outcomes and comorbidities were associated with school nonattendance. These results suggest that intrapartum risk factors and postnatal cerebral malaria in infants are opportune targets for prevention of cerebral palsy in Sub-Saharan low-income countries.

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Evaluation of risk factors for cerebral palsy

The Egyptian Journal of Neurology Psychiatry and Neurosurgery ◽

10.1186/s41983-020-00265-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 57 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dina Salama Abd Elmagid ◽

Hend Magdy

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Intracranial Hemorrhage ◽

Cns Infection ◽

Motor Impairments ◽

Cerebrovascular Accidents ◽

Common Causes ◽

Children With Cerebral Palsy ◽

Infant Brain ◽

Cns Malformation

Abstract Background Cerebral palsy (CP) has been identified as one of the most important and common causes of childhood disabilities worldwide and is often accompanied by multiple comorbidities. CP is defined as a group of disorders of the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitation that are attributed to non-progressive disturbances that occurred in the developing fetal or infant brain. The objective of our study was to describe main clinical pattern and motor impairments of our patients, and to evaluate the presence of risk factors and if there is a relation to the type of cerebral palsy. Methods Children with cerebral palsy were retrospectively enrolled over 2 years from the neurology outpatient clinics. Cerebral palsy risk factors and motor impairments were determined through caregiver interviews, review of medical records, and direct physical examination. Results One thousand children with cerebral palsy were enrolled. Subjects were 64.4% male, with a median age of 2.5 years. The risk factors for cerebral palsy in our study were antenatal (21%), natal and post-natal (30.5%), post-neonatal (17.1%), and unidentified (31.4%). Antenatal as CNS malformation (26.6%), maternal DM (17.6%), prolonged rupture of membrane (11.9%), maternal hemorrhage (10.4%), and pre-eclampsia (4.7%). Natal and post-natal as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (28.5%), infection (16.3%), hyperbilirubinemia (12.7%), cerebrovascular accidents (8.8%), meconium aspiration (6.2%), and intracranial hemorrhage. Post-neonatal as CNS infection (34.5%), cerebrovascular accidents (28.6%), sepsis (23.9%), and intracranial hemorrhage (8.7%). Conclusions Cerebral palsy has different etiologies and risk factors. Further studies are necessary to determine optimal preventative strategies in these patients.

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Gross motor dysfunction as a risk factor for aspiration pneumonia in children with cerebral palsy

Paediatrica Indonesiana ◽

10.14238/pi57.5.2017.229-33 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 57 (5) ◽

pp. 229 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cut Nurul Hafifah ◽

Darmawan Budi Setyanto ◽

Sukman Tulus Putra ◽

Irawan Mangunatmadja ◽

Teny Tjitra Sari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Aspiration Pneumonia ◽

Motor Dysfunction ◽

Silent Aspiration ◽

Gross Motor ◽

Respiratory Problems ◽

Children With Cerebral Palsy ◽

Chest X Ray

Background Respiratory problems, such as aspiration pneumonia, are major causes of morbidity and mortality in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and greatly affect the quality of life of these children. Nevertheless, there is limited data on the incidence and risk factors of aspiration pneumonia in children with CP in Indonesia. Objective To determine the incidence and risk factors of aspiration pneumonia in children with cerebral palsy.Methods In children with CP aged 1-18 years, incidence of pneumonia was studied prospectively for 6 months and the prevalence of the risk factors was studied cross-sectionally. At baseline, we evaluated subjects’ by history-taking, physical examination, risk factors, and chest X-ray to assess the incidence of silent aspiration. Subjects were followed-up for six months to determine the incidence of overt or silent aspiration pneumonia.Results Eight out of 36 subjects had one or more episodes of aspiration, consisting of silent aspiration (2/36) and clinically diagnosed aspiration pneumonia (7/36). Subjects with more severe gross motor dysfunction experienced more episodes aspiration pneumonia, although it was not statistically significant (p = 0.06), while dysphagia (P=0.2) and nutritional status (P=0.11) were not associated with pneumonia or silent aspiration.Conclusion Twenty-five percent of children with CP experienced aspiration pneumonia during the 6-month study period, with gross motor dysfunction as a possible risk factor.

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