title: Pediatric Cerebral Palsy in Africa: Where Are We?
abstract: Cerebral palsy is the most common cause of physical disability in children worldwide. However, little is reported on this condition in the African context. Doctors from 22 countries in Africa, and representatives from a further 5 countries outside Africa, met to discuss the challenges in the evaluation and management of children with cerebral palsy in Africa and to propose service needs and further research. Basic care is limited by the poor availability of diagnostic facilities or medical personnel with experience and expertise in managing cerebral palsy, exacerbated by lack of available interventions such as medications, surgical procedures, or even regular therapy input. Relevant guidelines are lacking. In order to guide services for children with existing disabilities, to effectively target the main etiologies and to develop preventive strategies for the continent, research priorities must include multicenter collaborative studies looking at the prevalence, risk factors, and treatment of cerebral palsy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and University of Cape Town, South Africa kirstyann.donald@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kirsten A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Donald
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Mulago Hospital/Makerere, University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Angelina M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kakooza
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics/Pediatric Neurology Unit, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Robinson D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Wammanda
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, College of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
authors.forename: Macpherson
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mallewa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Samia
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, Sudan.
authors.forename: Haydar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Babakir
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA and Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bearden
authors.affiliation: School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, McGill University; Montreal Children's Hospital-McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Majnemer
authors.affiliation: Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Darcy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fehlings
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatrics & Neurology/Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shevell
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chugani
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jo M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wilmshurst
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: cerebral palsy; consensus; etiologies; review