Impact of child and family characteristics on cerebral palsy treatment. (8th May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rackauskaite, Gija; Uldall, Peter W; Bech, Bodil H; Østergaard, John R
• Is Part Of: Developmental medicine & child neurology. Volume 57:Number 10(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 948
• Page End: 954
• Publication Date: 2015-05-08
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Pediatric neurology -- Periodicals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.12791
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0012-1622

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="dmcn12791-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="dmcn12791-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>The aim of the study was to describe the relationship between the child's and family's characteristics and the most common treatment modalities in a national population‐based sample of 8‐ to 15‐year‐old children with cerebral palsy.</p> </sec> <sec id="dmcn12791-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Method</title> <p>A cross‐sectional study, based on the Danish Cerebral Palsy Registry. The parents of 462 children answered a questionnaire about their child's treatment and the family's characteristics (living with a single parent, having siblings, living in a city, parental education level). Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed for every treatment modality, stratified by Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level.</p> </sec> <sec id="dmcn12791-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>An IQ below 85 was associated with weekly therapy in GMFCS level I (adjusted odds ratio [OR<sub>adj</sub>] 2.5 [CI 1.1–5.7]) and the use of oral spasmolytics in GMFCS levels III to V (OR<sub>adj</sub> 3.1 [CI 1.3–7.4]). Older children in GMFCS levels III to V used daily orthoses less frequently (OR<sub>adj</sub> 0.7 [CI 0.6–0.9] per year). Of all of the family characteristics studied, only the parents' education level had significant associations with more than one treatment modality.</p> </sec> <sec id="dmcn12791-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Interpretation</title> <p>A child's cognitive function showed an impact on treatment of the motor impairment in children 8 to 15 years of age with cerebral palsy. Parental education level may influence the choice of treatment.</p> </sec> </abstract>