Authors:
Smithers-Sheedy H, McIntyre S, Gibson C, Meehan E, Scott H, Goldsmith S, Watson L, Badawi N, Walker K, Novak I, Blair E.
Authors notes:
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 2016;58:5-10.
Keywords:
Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy Register, Children, Australia
Abstract:
Aim: To briefly outline the strengths and limitations of cerebral palsy (CP) registers, and to report on findings of the Australian Cerebral Palsy Register (ACPR) pertaining to a population cohort of children with CP.
Method: De-identified data were extracted from the ACPR for people with CP in birth years 1993 to 2006, from South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia.
Live birth prevalence of CP was estimated and risk factors described.
Results: The overall birth prevalence of CP (including those whose CP was postneonatally acquired) for the 1993 to 2006 birth cohort was 2.1 per 1000 live births.
Excluding cases with a known postneonatal cause, the birth prevalence for pre/perinatally acquired CP was 2.0 per 1000 live births.
A downward trend in rates of CP in those born extremely preterm was evident over at least three consecutive periods across all three regions.
Most (58.6%) children were born at term (≥37wks).
Male sex, early gestational age, low birthweight, and multiple birth were risk factors for CP.
Interpretation: Overall rates of CP did not change during this period.
The proportion of those with CP born extremely preterm decreased.
The ACPR Group will investigate whether this pattern continues when data pertaining to the next birth cohort for all three regions becomes available.
What this paper adds: CP registers and surveillance programmes make a substantial contribution to the CP research landscape.
Overall rates of CP in Australia have not changed (1993-2006).
A downward trend in rates of CP in those born extremely preterm was evident over at least three consecutive triennia.