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Hemiplegic (unilateral) cerebral palsy in northern Stockholm: Intellectual disability and epilepsy
Elsa Tillberg1, Jonas K E Persson2
1Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
Insights
Intellectual disability and epilepsy are common in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, linked to brain lesion extent. Early cognitive assessment is recommended for optimal school readiness.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP) affects children unilaterally.
- Previous research in 2020 investigated this population.
- This study focuses on intellectual disability, epilepsy, and brain imaging in HCP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe intellectual disability (ID) and its association with epilepsy and brain imaging.
- To analyze these factors in a population-based cohort of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
Main Methods:
- Study included school-aged children meeting Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe criteria for hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
- Twenty-one children consented to participate from a northern Stockholm cohort.
- Cognitive function was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC).
Main Results:
- 57% of children showed uneven cognitive profiles.
- 38% had intellectual disability, while 62% had normal IQ.
- Epilepsy was present in 43% of participants; extensive brain lesions correlated with severe ID.
Conclusions:
- Intellectual disability and epilepsy are associated with the type and extent of brain lesions in HCP.
- Uneven cognitive profiles and intellectual disability are prevalent.
- Individual cognitive assessment is recommended for optimal school transitions.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to describe intellectual disability and its association with epilepsy and brain imaging, in a population-based group of children with hemiplegic (unilateral) cerebral palsy, previously investigated and published in 2020.
Materials And Methods:
Forty-seven children of school age in northern Stockholm, fulfilling the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe-criteria of hemiplegic (unilateral spastic) cerebral palsy, were invited to participate in the study. Twenty-one children consented to participate. A WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children)-test was performed by an experienced psychologist.
Results:
In the study population of twenty-one children, 57 % (n 12) displayed uneven cognitive profiles, 38 % (n 8) intellectual disability and 62 % (n 13) had a normal IQ. 43 % (n 9) developed epilepsy. Children with extensive brain lesions had more severe intellectual disability.
Conclusions:
In this study intellectual disability and/or epilepsy were associated with the type and extent of the underlying brain lesion. Intellectual disability and uneven cognitive profiles were common. We therefore recommend individual cognitive assessment to ensure an optimal school start.
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