Microsoft word - chn_cp.doc

MAY, 2005
ADAMS COUNTY CHILD HEALTH NOTES
Promoting early identification and partnerships between families, primary health care providers & the community. Distributed by: Adams County Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) and Adams County Health Department Contributors: Washington State Department of Health and UW – Center on Human Development & Disability CEREBRAL PALSY (CP)
• Non-progressive condition affecting control of posture and movement, resulting from a static lesion to motor areas of the developing central nervous system (CNS) o Most commonly, the injury has occurred pre- or perinatally, with the majority of cases o Occasionally due to brain injury occurring in early childhood • U.S. incidence remains stable at 2-2.5 cases per 1000 live births. o number of limbs affected: quadriplegia, diplegia, hemiplegia, triplegia o movement/muscle tone disturbance Spastic type – the most common form - from lesions of motor cortex or pyramidal Dyskinetic type (athetosis, ataxia, dystonia) from extrapyramidal lesions Inadequately treated hyperbilirubinemia can still cause kernicterus and athetosis o gross motor function (see classification system at CP website #1 listed on back) Diagnostic considerations (more info at CP websites #2, 3, Management considerations (more info at
• CP presents as a disturbance of muscle tone and movement • Goal is to maximize function and prevent • CP is a clinical diagnosis usually made by 12-18 months of • Clumsiness or poor coordination may technically be o referring to habilitative therapy (PT, “minimal CP”, reflecting motor control problems from static injury to the brain, however the diagnosis of CP is usually reserved for more disabling manifestations. • The diagnosis of CP should be followed by a search for o A careful history, including a three-generation family o Brain MRI can support the diagnosis of CP in most
cases and should be seriously considered. o EEG’s, EMG’s, muscle biopsy, metabolic screening, routine genetic tests (such as chromosomes) are not useful in diagnosing CP, but may be indicated when one suspects specific progressive disorders presenting • Associated CNS impairments may occur but are not
• There are many unproven, alternative o Examples: strabismus, seizure disorder, learning disability, mental retardation, speech disorder ADAMS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT
SPECIAL NEEDS INFORMATION AND RESOURCES:
1) Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) http://www-fhs.mcmaster.ca/canchild/ Websites: 2) Diagnostic Assessment of the Child with CP http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/62/ 3) CHN on Red Flags in Motor Development http:www.medicalhome.org/4Download/chn/chn_ http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/cerebr 6) Guidelines for the Care of Children and Adolescents http://cdrc.ohsu.edu/oscshn1/medicalhome/docs/c Regional: Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program Parent to Parent Support Programs of Washington 1-800-821-5927 Note: Adams County Health Department recently received new resource information from the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) on child development with fact sheets on different disabilities and concerns. The
program is titled “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” The phone number to request this information is 1-800-CDC-
INFO or the website is www.cdc.gov/actearly. Please find enclosed two samples of the information in this
packet. Information is back to back in English and Spanish. Parents and providers are encouraged to request
their own copies by phone or Internet. The health department also has copies of this useful information.
Please call Callie Moore at 659-3317 for further information, or if you are a child care provider, please call Karen
Potts at 659-3320.

Source: http://www.co.adams.wa.us/documents/health/chn-cp.pdf