Common medical comorbidities associated with cerebral palsy.
The medical issues associated with the diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP) can have significant interplay with the neuromuscular issues that most physiatrists manage in the clinical setting. Identification and appropriate management of these common comorbidities by the primary care and subspecialist physicians can have significant impact on the quality of life of the patient and family. Some of these issues are prevalent across all gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) levels of severity, whereas others more commonly complicate the care of those children with the more severe GMFCS levels IV and V. Performance of a complete review of systems to address the potentially complex medical comorbidities and subsequent application of appropriate screening tools can assist in achieving optimal outcomes in children with CP and their families.
Pruitt
David W
DW
Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA. david.pruitt@cchmc.org
Tsai
Tobias
T
D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*