The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have recently released a report on the prevalence and characteristic of cerebral palsy in the United States. It has concluded that cerebral palsy remains the most common motor disability in childhood, and that children with cerebral palsy and their families continue to need support.
The key findings of the recent study can be summarized as follows:
- About 1 in every 323 children in the United States has been identified with cerebral palsy.
- Cerebral palsy was more common among boys than among girls.
- Cerebral palsy was more common among Black children than White children. Hispanic and White children were about equally likely to have cerebral palsy.
- The majority (77%) of the children identified with cerebral palsy had the spastic (or stiff muscles) type of cerebral palsy.
- Over half (58%) of the children identified with cerebral palsy could walk independently.
- Many of the children with cerebral palsy also had at least one co-occurring condition.
- 41% had co-occurring epilepsy. Co-occurring epilepsy was more common among children with cerebral palsy who had limited or no walking ability.
- Almost 7% had co-occurring autism spectrum disorder. Co-occurring autism spectrum disorder was more common among children with non-spastic cerebral palsy than spastic cerebral palsy.
The data is collected by the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, which also collects information about children with cerebral palsy in four States. To read the full report, click here: Full Report
Similar research is being conducted in Canada. The Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry, led by Dr. Michael Shevell, is the first national registry in North America to collect information about children born with cerebral palsy. The objectives of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry are to gain further understanding of the risk factors and causes of cerebral palsy, to understand how often children are diagnosed with cerebral palsy and where they live, and to better understand parents’ perspectives on their child’s care and how services are provided to them. To learn more about the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry, including some of the findings from the data collected to date, click here: Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry
To register your child in BC or to learn more about the registry in BC, click here: Cerebral Palsy Registry – BC Division
If you have questions about the cause of your child’s cerebral palsy, and wonder if it may have been related to the circumstances surrounding your child’s birth, then contact us for a free consultation to discuss your concerns. Pacific Medical Law – Home Page