Common medical comorbidities associated with cerebral palsy

Sleep in children with cerebral palsy: a review

Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, are considered to be a population at risk for the occurrence of sleep problems. Moreover, recent studies on children with cerebral palsy seem to indicate that this population is at higher risk for sleep disorders. The importance of the recognition and treatment of sleep problems in children with cerebral palsy cannot be overemphasized. It is well known that the consequences of sleep disorders in children are broad and affect both the child and family. This review article explores the types and possible risk factors associated with the development of sleep problems in children with cerebral palsy and the impact of this disorder on the child and family. In addition, a brief summary of current diagnostic and treatment modalities is provided. Finally, the characteristics, diagnostic techniques, and management of sleep-related breathing disorders in children with cerebral palsy are discussed.

Causes and correlates of frequent night awakenings in early childhood

Night awakenings are a normative part of early development. In the first year, night awakenings are associated with birth order, feeding route, sleep aid use, sleep location, infant temperament and development, infant-parent attachment, family socioeconomics, and cultural norms. In the second year, additional factors build on these foundational features, including parenting practices and object attachment. As children grow, contextual factors like preschool entry or changes in family member status may influence the continuation or exacerbation of awakenings. Future research should consider the multitude of factors that influence not only awakenings but also parental perceptions, family dynamics, and cultural norms.

A pilot study evaluating an abbreviated version of the cognitive remediation programme for youth with neurocognitive deficits

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of an abbreviated version of an established cognitive remediation programme for children with neurological disorders and attention problems in an outpatient setting.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Eighteen 6-15-year-old children diagnosed with neurological and attention difficulties completed a six-module training programme aimed at improving attention. This programme was a shorter version of the Cognitive Remediation Programme (CRP), which has been successfully implemented with children with neurocognitive deficits. Parents completed measures of their children's attention and children completed neuropsychological measures of attention.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

The programme was associated with improvement in several aspects of parent-reported attention and children's performance on tasks measuring attention.

CONCLUSIONS

The shortened version of the CRP shows promise as a brief treatment for attention problems in outpatient neurological populations. Future research should assess programme effectiveness using a control group, longer-term follow-up and teacher reports.

Análise do equilíbrio estático e de deformidades nos pés de crianças com paralisia cerebral

O presente estudo analisou, por meio de um sistema de baropodometria, os tipos de pé, a influência da visão no equilíbrio estático na postura ortostática e a distribuição da pressão plantar em 16 crianças, de 6 a 15 anos, com diagnóstico de paralisia cerebral. Os resultados indicaram que o pé valgo foi o mais comum dentre os tipos de paralisia cerebral estudadas, diparesia espástica, hemiparesia espástica direita, hemiparesia espástica esquerda e ataxia; o equilíbrio estático na postura ortostática de olhos vendados apresentou maior instabilidade do que quando com os olhos abertos; a distribuição de pressão plantar não apresentou significância estatística e não houve correlação significativa entre a idade e as variáveis de equilíbrio e de distribuição da pressão plantar. Desse modo, conclui-se que a visão é um fator importante no controle postural de crianças com paralisia cerebral.

The Cerebral Palsy Demonstration Project: a multidimensional research approach to cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy is the most common cause of physical impairment in pediatrics. As a heterogeneous disorder in all its disparate aspects it defies a simplistic research approach that seeks to further our understanding of its mechanisms, outcomes and treatments. Within NeuroDevNet, with its focus on abnormal brain development, cerebral palsy was selected as one of the three neurodevelopmental disabilities to be the focus of a dedicated demonstration project. The Cerebral Palsy Demonstration Project will feature a multi-dimensional approach utilizing epidemiologic, imaging, genetics, animal models and stem cell modalities that will at all times emphasize clinical relevance, translation into practice, and potential synergies between investigators now segregated by both academic disciplines and geographic distance. The objective is to create a national platform of varied complementary and inter-digitated efforts. The specific research plan to enable this will be outlined in detail.

Validating the Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life for Children (CP QOL-Child) questionnaire for use in Chinese populations

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life for Children (CP QOL-Child) questionnaire. We performed forward (into Chinese) and backward translation of the CP QOL-Child for: (1) the primary caregiver form (for parents of children with CP aged 4-12 years); and (2) the child self-report form (for children with cerebral palsy aged 9-12 years). Psychometric properties assessed included test-retest reliability, internal consistency, item discrimination, construct validity, and concordance between the forms of questionnaire. The Chinese CP QOL-Child was completed by 145 caregivers and 44 children. Excellent test-retest reliability and internal consistency were obtained. Item discrimination analysis revealed a majority of the items have moderate to good discriminating power. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated distinguishable domain structure as on the original English version. Significant associations were found between lower QOL and more severe motor disability. Consistent with the English version, the highest correlation between the primary caregiver and child forms on QOL was in the domain of functioning. Results of this study indicate that the Chinese CP QOL-Child appears to be valid for use in Mandarin-Chinese speaking children with cerebral palsy.