Article

As early intervention is important in cerebral palsy (CP), an early
diagnosis is desirable. The aim of this study was to establish the median
diagnostic age of CP and to identify predictors of an early diagnosis in a
population-based cohort. METHOD: Using the Danish National Cerebral Palsy
Registry (NCPR), we identified 1291 children with CP (764 males, 527 females)
born between 1995 and 2003. The date of diagnosis was defined as the day the
parents were told that their child was spastic or had CP.
We calculated the age
of diagnosis and analysed the following predictors: type of CP, degree of motor
disability, cerebral ultrasonography results, epilepsy, gestational age, and
degree of cognitive impairment. RESULTS: We found the overall median corrected
diagnostic age of CP to be 11 months. Early diagnosis was associated with the
type of CP, presence of epilepsy, a high degree of motor disability, and
abnormalities in the cerebral ultrasonography. The gestational age was not
associated with the diagnostic age. INTERPRETATION:
The median diagnostic age
implies that half of the Danish children with CP will be able to enter an early
intervention program before 1 year of age. A late diagnosis was associated with
less severe symptoms, and gestational age did not influence the diagnostic age.
CI - (c) 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS