Profile of Pediatric Patients with Cerebral Palsy at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Philippine General Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: Data is necessary for a hospital-wide cerebral palsy (CP) profile, this being the leading pediatric diagnosis at the PGH Rehabilitation Medicine Out Patient clinic. This study aims to identify clinical features, severity of disability and common interventions in pediatric CP patients. Methods: CP profile data collection forms were accomplished from September 2014 to December 2015. Primary Results: Among 125 participants: 55% were < 5 years old, 47% were delivered vaginally, 42% had perinatal onset of condition, 34% had normal birth weight and 23% were moderately preterm. Most were quadriplegic (36%) and spastic (50%). Primary caregivers were mostly mothers (45%) and <20 years old (38%). Mobility-wise, 29% had Gross Motor Function Classification System score of 3. For hand function, 31% scored 2 in the Manual Ability Classification System and 26% were ‘below average’ in the Peabody Developmental Motor Skills-2. Common problems were: feeding (100%), communication (63%), seizure (58%), visual (56%) and auditory (54%). Majority (73%) had access to government medical facilities; 18% had no access. Physical (64%) and occupational (29%) therapy were common interventions; 29% received special education. Conclusion: A hospital-wide cerebral palsy profile should be established to monitor CP, given its multifactorial cause and complex functional impact. Trends should be correlated with maternal and patient factors, healthcare provision and socioeconomics.

Association of first-trimester screening biomarkers and the prevalence of cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental conditions: A systematic review

“…For cerebral palsy alone, a delayed diagnosis can occur as late as five years in underdeveloped countries which is beyond the optimum timeframe for interventions that utilize the neuroplasticity of the developing brain (te Velde et al, 2019). This is evident in the Philippines as presented in the study of Hebreo et al (2017) where only 35 participants out of 125 (29%) had confirmed diagnosis of cerebral palsy during 2007-2009 in the Philippine General Hospital.…”