RELATIONSHIP OF TYPE OF CEREBRAL PALSY WITH THE ETIOLOGY

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the relationship of etiology with the type of
cerebral palsy in children. Study Design: Descriptive case series. Setting: Department of Paediatrics, Allied Hospital,
Faisalabad. Period: From January 2002 to December 2004. Patients and Methods: 120 children from 1-12 years of
age of either sex who presented in Paediatric Department with abnormalities of tone, posture and movement and
subsequently diagnosed as cerebral palsy on the basis of history, physical examination and investigations, were
included. Results: Out of 120 cases the majority had spastic CP, 72% (n = 86) such as quadriplegic, diplegic and
hemiplegic types. The spastic quadriplegia was mainly associated with birth asphyxia and meningoencephalitis.
Prematurity and low birth weight were the major contributors towards diplegic CP, while spastic hemiplegia although
less common was caused by meningoencephalitis in 5 cases and intra cranial bleed and asphyxia in 3 cases each.
Atonic or hypotonic CP found in 23 cases, were caused by meningoencephalitis, kernicterus, birth asphyxia and
prematurity. 10 cases of atonic CP did not have any reason (hence idiopathic). Athetoid CP was mainly due to
kernicterus, meningoencephalitis and asphyxia. Ataxic and mixed types of CP were present in 3 cases each and were
due to meningoencephalitis and birth asphyxia.