A new study published in journal Pediatrics has reported that every fourth patient of cerebral palsy in age group 3-19 years has pain that affects quality of their life negatively.
Cerbral palsy is a motor condition that has spectrum of presentation and causes physical disability in the affected. It is caused by anoxic damage [damage caused due to lack of oxygen], to the brain during pregancy and after birth up to 3 years. This results in spasticity [ increased rigidity ] of the affected part, limitation of the movement, disturbances of sensation , communication ability and cognition. Epilepsy has been reported in about one third of the cases.
Though most of the cases have a birth related cause, cerebral palsy may be left unrecognized at that time.
Pain in children with cerebral palsy is underrecognized and undertreated, say Penner and colleagues in the study that has been published on 15 July 2013.
Main goals of the present study were to determine the impact of pain on activities and to identify the common physician-identified causes of pain in children and youth ages 3 to 19 years across all levels of severity of CP.
For the study, 3 to 19 years old and their families were consecutively recruited and asked to complete a one-time questionnaire, including the Health Utilities Index 3 pain subset, about the presence and characteristics of pain.
About 55% respondents reported some pain on the Health Utilities Index 3 and about 24% were found to have a pain that affected some level of activities.
Hip dislocation/subluxation, dystonia, and constipation were reported as most frequent causes of pain.
The authors recommended identification of potential causes of pain should be identified and their treatment so that negative impact of pain on quality of life could be decreased
Image in public domain as per source( Wikipedia)
- Melanie Penner, Wen Yan Xie, Navneet Binepal, Lauren Switzer,and Darcy Fehlings. Characteristics of Pain in Children and Youth With Cerebral Palsy. Pediatrics peds.2013-0224; published ahead of print July 15, 2013, doi:10.1542/peds.2013-0224
Get more stuff on Musculoskeltal Health
Subscribe to our Newsletter and get latest publications on Musculoskeletal Health your email inbox.
Thank you for subscribing.