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Pain is frequent in children with cerebral palsy and negatively affects physical activity and participation
Cecilie Schmidt Østergaard1, Nanna Sofie Astrup Pedersen1, Anne Thomasen1
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Insights
Many children with cerebral palsy (CP) experience long-lasting pain, which is linked to reduced participation in physical activities. Addressing pain is crucial for improving their quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Pain Management
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common childhood motor disability.
- Chronic pain is a significant but often under-addressed issue in children with CP.
- Participation in physical activities is vital for development and well-being in children with CP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of long-lasting pain in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
- To examine the relationship between pain and engagement in physical leisure activities among children with CP.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study utilizing data from the National Danish Clinical Quality Database for children with CP.
- Included 817 children aged 2-11 years across all Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels.
- Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between pain and physical activity participation, adjusted for age and sex.
Main Results:
- 36% of children with CP reported pain, with hips, feet, and knees being the most common sites.
- Children experiencing pain showed significantly lower odds of participating in physical leisure activities (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.96).
Conclusions:
- A substantial percentage of children with CP suffer from long-lasting pain.
- Pain appears to negatively impact participation in physical leisure activities for children with CP.
- Implementing pain management strategies is essential to alleviate suffering and promote activity engagement.
Aim:
The aim was to identify the prevalence of long-lasting pain among children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to investigate the association between pain and participation in physical leisure activities.
Methods:
This is a cross-sectional study based on data from the National Danish Clinical Quality Database of children with CP. The study population consisted of 960 children aged 2-11 years across all Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels. Data were collected at children's regular clinical visits in 2016 or 2017. Information about pain and participation in physical leisure activities were obtained. The association was estimated as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) by logistic regression adjusted for age and sex.
Results:
We included data from 817 children (59% boys) median age 6 years, 52% classified as GMFCS level I. A total of 36% reported pain, and the most frequent pain locations were hips, feet and knees. Children reporting pain had lower odds for participation in physical leisure activities (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.96).
Conclusion:
A large proportion of children with CP reported pain. There is an indication that long-lasting pain influences participation in physical leisure activities. Pain-relieving interventions are important to decrease pain-related suffering and facilitate participation.
