Review of Cerebral Palsy Cases in the University Of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu

Abstract

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a major cause of childhood disability. The objective of this study was to review the causes, types, complications, demographic and clinical characteristics of children with CP over a period of ten years as seen in the physiotherapy (PT) department of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla Enugu, Nigeria.Methods: A retrospective study that reviewed a total of 497 case folders of children with CP. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. The case records were randomly selected, a data retrieval form developed through a two-stage process was used to obtain the required information. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests. Level of significance was set at 0.05.Results: Four hundred and ninety-seven cases of children with CP were reviewed. Birth asphyxia (29.9%) and jaundice (28.7%) were the leading causes of CP while spastic CP (56.7%) was the most common type. Motor disorder (67.0%) was the predominant clinical presentation. There was a significant association between type of CP and each of cause (X2 =28.303, p = 0.001), and duration of PT treatment (X2 =31.784, p < 0.0001).Conclusion: It was concluded that Birth asphyxia and jaundice are the major cause of CP in this environment. There is a significant association between type of CP and the cause of CP as well as the duration of PT treatment received.Keywords: Review; Cerebral Palsy; Hospital