Diaphragmatic mobility in children with spastic cerebral palsy and differing motor performance levels

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Neurology
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) is a complex neurological disorder affecting motor function.
• Respiratory complications are common in children with CP, impacting their quality of life.
• Diaphragmatic mobility (DM) and respiratory function are critical for overall health in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare diaphragmatic mobility (DM) and respiratory function in children with cerebral palsy (CP) versus healthy controls (HC).
• To differentiate respiratory function between non-ambulatory CP (NACP) and ambulatory CP (ACP) subgroups.
• To establish the necessity of targeted interventions for diaphragmatic strength in pediatric CP.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 18 NACP, 18 ACP, and 18 HC children aged 8–18 years.
• Utilized ultrasound to measure bilateral diaphragmatic mobility (DM).
• Assessed respiratory muscle strength (RMS), pulmonary function (PF), and chest expansion (CE).

Main Results:

• Significantly lower right DM observed in the CP group compared to HC.
• NACP subgroup demonstrated significantly lower DM than the ACP subgroup.
• CP group exhibited significantly reduced RMS, PF, and CE compared to HC.

Conclusions:

• Children with CP show significant impairments in diaphragmatic and respiratory function.
• Non-ambulatory CP patients present with more pronounced diaphragmatic mobility deficits.
• Interventions aimed at enhancing diaphragmatic muscle strength are essential for children with CP, especially those with NACP.