Study of Certain Demographic Factors of Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Back ground: Cerebral palsy is a musculoskeletal illness that causes disabilities owing to injury to the developing brain. The brain damage is permanent and non-progressive. Because the musculoskeletal system grows with age, the effects of brain damage progresses. Aim: To study certain demographic factors pertaining to cerebral palsy affected children like sex, maternal age at the time of conception of the affected child, mother education status and family history. Materials and methods: Data was collected retrospectively, from the parents of 352 cerebral palsy children admitted/attended to Rani Chandramani Devi Government Hospital, Visakhapatnam, from 2014-2020. Results: The data collected from the parents of 352 Cerebral palsy children was analysed age wise. Out of 352 Cerebral palsy children, CP was more prevalent in males 224 (64%). Regarding mother age at the time of conception, mothers of age 18 years and below were 130 (38%), 207 mothers were in between 19 – 30 years (58%), and 15 mothers were above 30 years (4%). Regarding the education status, most of the mothers studied 10th standard 236 (67%). Out of 352 children, family history of Cerebral palsy child was present in 57 cases (16%) and out of which 23 cases of maternal side (6%) and 34 cases of paternal side (10%). Conclusion: Regular antenatal check up from the beginning of the pregnancy, focussing specifically on mothers with high risk factors making use of all recent advances for monitoring to identify any deviation of maternal health or deficiencies of growing foetus. Appropriate, timely interventions for the problems which are accessible to treatment should ensure a normal pregnancy with delivery of a healthy baby from a healthy mother.