Prevalence of cerebral palsy in Turkish children between the ages of 2 and 16 years

Abstract

The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to determine the prevalence of cerebral palsy (CP) among children in Turkey between the ages of 2 and 16 years. Samples were selected from cities, towns, districts, and villages using the cluster sampling method; 41861 children were selected. Data was collected by parental interview and physical examination. One hundred and eighty‐six children were identified with CP. The prevalence of CP was determined as 4.4 per 1000 live births and included postnatally acquired CP. Origin of CP was classified as prenatal in 49 (26.6%), perinatal/neonatal in 34 (18.5%), postnatal in 11 (5.9%), and unclassifiable in 90 participants (48.9%; data was unobtainable for two individuals). Type of CP was diplegia in 39.8% of children, hemiplegia in 28%, tetraplegia in 19.9%, ataxia in 5.9%, and dyskinetic in 6.4%. Prenatal factors were seen more frequently in the groups with a high socioeconomic status while perinatal factors were encountered more often in those with a low socioeconomic status (p<0.05). Place of residence and sex had no significant effect on the prevalence of CP (p>0.05). This cross‐sectional study shows that the prevalence of CP in Turkey is higher than that in developed countries but the aetiology is probably similar. Although the high prevalence of CP in Turkey could originate from an increased level of obstetric and neonatal problems, the lack of a possible aetiological factor in approximately half the children suggests that the high level might also be due to other factors, such as genetic disorders.

Serebral Palsi̇ni̇n Erken Tanisinda İlkel Refleksler Ve Postural Reaksi̇yonlar /Primitive Reflexes and Postural Reactions in the Early Diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy

“…Bu oran prematüre bebeklerde %8 ile 40'lara kadar çıkmaktadır (7). Ülkemizde 2-16 yaş grubu çocuklarda yapılan bir çalışmada sıklığı 1000 canlı doğumda 4,4 olarak bildirilmiştir (8).…”

Body Weight Percentile of Children with Cerebral Palsy

“…SP ülkemizde canlı doğumlara bakıldığında farklı iki çalışmada sırasıyla 2/1000 ve 4.4/1000 sıklıkta görülür (3,4) . Yutma güçlüğü (disfa-ji), hiperaktif öğürme refleksi, spastisite ya da motor kontroldeki yetersizlik beslenmede güçlüğe neden olur (5) .…”

Overview of Cerebral Palsy and Non-Surgical Treatment Methods

“…While there are no reliable, adequate statistics on this subject in our country, the rate of CP is reported to be 2-8/1000 in the whole population (2,10). There is no marked improvement in the prevalence or the treatment despite the developing prophylactic healthcare services; however the advances in perinatal care result in a larger number of children under risk for CP (11,12). Cerebral injury resulting in cerebral palsy may develop in prenatal, perinatal or postnatal periods.…”