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Cerebral palsy: incidence and clinical features in Saudi Arabia

A Al-Asmari1, K Al Moutaery, F Akhdar

  • 1Research Center, Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. akasmari@medu.net.sa

Disability and Rehabilitation
|October 31, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Cerebral palsy (CP) incidence in Saudi Arabia was found to be relatively high. Severe CP cases were often linked with intellectual disability, epilepsy, and visual impairments.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders affecting movement and posture.
  • Understanding CP incidence and associated factors is crucial for public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze cerebral palsy (CP) incidence, etiology, birth weight, types, and associated impairments in children at Riyadh Military Hospital (RMH).
  • To investigate the clinical features and trends of CP over a 20-year period (1984-2003).

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of medical records for children aged 1-10 years diagnosed with CP.
  • Inclusion of data from 99,788 live births between 1984 and 2003 at RMH.
  • Investigation of 412 confirmed CP cases.

Main Results:

  • The overall incidence of CP was 0.41%.
  • A decreasing trend in CP incidence was observed across five-year intervals within the study period.
  • Severe CP was frequently associated with co-occurring impairments like mental retardation, epilepsy, and visual impairments.

Conclusions:

  • The livebirth incidence of cerebral palsy in Saudi Arabia appears relatively high compared to international studies.
  • Combinations of severe disability and impairments highlight the complex needs of children with CP.
  • Further research into CP aetiology and prevention strategies in the region is warranted.

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