Cerebral palsy: Epidemiology

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a lifelong physical disability, resulting from maldevelopment or damage to the developing brain. All children with CP have a disorder of movement and posture, but this is often accompanied by disorders of intellect, sensation, behaviour and epilepsy. Long-standing CP registers and surveillance systems estimate the prevalence of CP as approximately 2 per 1000 live births; however variations are seen over time and in different regions of the world.

Citation:
Goldsmith S, McIntyre S, Blair E, Smithers-Sheedy H, Badawi N, Hansen M. Cerebral palsy: Epidemiology. Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics: Genetic and Environmental Influences: Springer International Publishing; 2023. p. 479-95.

Keywords:
Aetiology; Cerebral palsy; Congenital anomaly; Epidemiology; Microcephaly; Register; Risk factor

Abstract:
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a lifelong physical disability, resulting from maldevelopment or damage to the developing brain. All children with CP have a disorder of movement and posture, but this is often accompanied by disorders of intellect, sensation, behaviour and epilepsy. Long-standing CP registers and surveillance systems estimate the prevalence of CP as approximately 2 per 1000 live births; however variations are seen over time and in different regions of the world.