Issues in the classification and epidemiology of cerebral palsy

Abstract

This paper discusses the definition and subclassification of cerebral palsy, its ascertainment, birth prevalence, and aetiology. Cerebral palsy is a description defined by clinical observation rather than a diagnosis informative about aetiology, pathology, or prognosis. As a disease entity it is aetiologically and pathologically diverse. The cerebral palsy grouping is useful for management and service planning but the combining of several individually rare congenital and early childhood conditions creates an epidemiological challenge. The birth prevalence of cerebral palsy in the developed world has not declined since the mid-1950s, in contrast to perinatal mortality. The proportion of child..