Spectrum of visual disorders in a population-based cerebral palsy cohort.
BACKGROUND
Children with cerebral palsy are known to be at increased risk for visual impairment.


METHODS
In a population-based sample drawn from a geographically defined registry, the profile of visual impairment in children with cerebral palsy was investigated.


RESULTS
Close to half (49.8%; 106/213) had a visual impairment. The majority of these individuals had strabismus (55.7%; 59/106) and a slightly lesser fraction had refractive errors (20.7%; 22/106) or severe visual loss (18.9%; 20/106). The vast majority of children with severe visual loss had spastic quadriplegia (83%; 17/20) or were nonambulatory (i.e., Gross Motor Function Classification Scale IV/V, 80%; 16/20).


CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge of this profile will assist practitioners to heighten their appreciation of potential visual disturbances in certain subsets of children with cerebral palsy.
Departments of Neurology/Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
David
D
Dufresne
Departments of Neurology/Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Lynn
L
Dagenais
Departments of Neurology/Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: michael.shevell@muhc.mcgill.ca.
Michael I
MI
Shevell
D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000503:physiopathology; D011792:Quebec; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014787:Vision Tests
cerebral palsy; registry; risk factors; visual disorders