Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2025
Enhancing the Development and Growth of Infant Cerebral Palsy Rats Using Selective Spinal Manipulations
Published on: February 2, 2024
The Knowledge Translation of Early Cerebral Palsy (KiTE CP) Study: Implementing Screening Among a High-Risk
Amanda K L Kwong1, Abbey L Eeles2, Peter J Anderson3
1Department of Physiotherapy, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Newborn Research, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville VIC, Australia.
Insights
This study implemented early cerebral palsy (CP) screening for at-risk infants in Australia, showing high engagement despite pandemic challenges. Early diagnosis of CP is crucial for timely intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) diagnosis relies on early identification of risk factors.
- International guidelines promote early screening for infants at risk of CP.
- Implementing these guidelines in diverse clinical settings requires effective strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the implementation of international early CP diagnosis guidelines in an Australian infant cohort.
- To assess engagement in the screening process for infants with neonatal risk factors for CP.
- To evaluate a multimodal knowledge translation strategy for guideline implementation.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study of 597 infants (<6 months corrected age) with neonatal CP risk factors across 11 Australian sites.
- Implementation involved a multimodal knowledge translation strategy, including technology integration (Baby Moves app).
- Screening utilized neuroimaging, Prechtl General Movements Assessment (GMA), and Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE).
Main Results:
- High screening uptake: 95% neuroimaging, 90% scorable GMA videos.
- 19% of the cohort (n=114) met criteria for high risk of CP.
- Despite COVID-19 impacts, engagement in screening was high, with 57% having at least two normal assessments.
Conclusions:
- A multimodal knowledge translation strategy facilitated the implementation of early CP screening.
- High engagement in the screening process was observed, even with pandemic disruptions.
- Further investigation into parental and clinician reasons for engagement is warranted.
Objective:
To describe the implementation of the international guidelines for the early diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP) and engagement in the screening process in an Australian cohort of infants with neonatal risk factors for CP.
Study Design:
Prospective cohort study of infants with neonatal risk factors recruited at <6 months corrected age from 11 sites in the states of Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, Australia. First, we implemented a multimodal knowledge translation strategy including barrier identification, technology integration, and special interest groups. Screening was implemented as follows: infants with clinical indications for neuroimaging underwent magnetic resonance imaging and/or cranial ultrasound. The Prechtl General Movements Assessment (GMA) was recorded clinically or using an app (Baby Moves). Infants with absent or abnormal fidgety movements on GMA videos were offered further assessment using the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE). Infants with atypical findings on 2/3 assessments met criteria for high risk of CP.
Results:
Of the 597 infants (56% male) recruited, 95% (n = 565) received neuroimaging, 90% (n = 537) had scorable GMA videos (2% unscorable/8% no video), and 25% (n = 149) HINE. Overall, 19% of the cohort (n = 114/597) met criteria for high risk of CP, 57% (340/597) had at least 2 normal assessments (of neuroimaging, GMA or HINE), and 24% (n = 143/597) had insufficient assessments.
Conclusions:
Early CP screening was implemented across participating sites using a multimodal knowledge translation strategy. Although the COVID-19 pandemic affected recruitment rates, there was high engagement in the screening process. Reasons for engagement in early screening from parents and clinicians warrant further contextualization and investigation.
More Related Videos
08:26Event-related Potentials During Target-response Tasks to Study Cognitive Processes of Upper Limb Use in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy
Published on: January 11, 2016
08:24Author Spotlight: Exploring the Potential of Massage Therapy in Cerebral Palsy Using Animal Models
Published on: August 11, 2023