Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To know the etiological factors of cerebral palsy (CP) incident during pregnancy and neonatal/perinatal periods. To know evolution of a child with a CP diagnosis. PATIENTS, MATERIAL AND METHODS: Bibliographical review of paediatric and rehabilitation texts and databases in Internet. Elaboration of a data collecting questionnaire for reviewing clinical records of patients treated in Paediatric Rehabilitation between 1996 and 2000. RESULTS: 250 patients records reviewed. Most frequent illnesses during pregnancy: first twelve weeks haemorrhages: 17.9\% and diabetes 8.4\%. Child birth: preterm births 32\%, cephalic presentation 78.8\%, caesarean operations 32\%. Mean birth weight 2,714 g, low birth weight babies 27.2\%. Needed hospitalary treatment 48\%. Mean time in incubator: 46 days among preterm and 26.6 among full term. Mean time in intensive care units: 44.4 days among preterm and 22.7 among full term. Associated diagnoses: CRP 8\%, birth asphyxia 24\%, neonatal jaundice 27.2\%, neonatal respiratory distress 24\%, neonatal sepsis 10\%, congenital cardiological illnesses 2.4\%, dismorphia 2.4\%, epilepsy in 40\%. Diagnostic imaging: atrophy 38.8\%, hydrocephalus 29.4\%, ischemia 14.9\%, haemorrhage 11.6\%. No findings in 23.8\%. Children were sent to Paediatric Rehabilitation at mean age of 8 months. Most frequent disorders: spastic quadriplegia (36.1\%) spastic diplegia (26.5\%) and hemiplegia (17\%). Mental retardation 55\%. School attendance 81.2\%. CP postnatal in 5.2\%. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of CP (2.5/1,000 alive new born) hardly avoidable for persistent rates of prematurity and complications in child births. Good quality of life and survival until adult ages.

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