title: Changing diagnosis of cerebral palsy in very low birthweight children.
abstract: The stability of the diagnosis of cerebral palsy from 2 to 5 years of age was examined in 83 children of birthweight under 1000 gm, and 112 of birthweight 1000 to 1500 gm. In 20 2-year-old children with cerebral palsy, the diagnosis persisted in 11 (55%, 95% confidence intervals 35.1 to 76.9%); 2 of 175 children (1.1%) free of cerebral palsy at 2 years of age subsequently developed the condition. Severe or moderate cerebral palsy at 2 years persisted in all eight children (100%). In 9 of 12 children in whom cerebral palsy at 2 years had disappeared by 5 years, minor neurologic abnormalities and left-hand preference occurred frequently but mean psychologic tests scores were similar to children always free of cerebral palsy. In this cohort, cerebral palsy at 2 years was not a static condition, but overestimated later prevalence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kitchen
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rickards
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests