Risk factors and clinical profiles in Turkish children with cerebral palsy: analysis of 625 cases.

The aim of the study was to investigate risk factors, clinical profiles and gross motor function levels of Turkish children with cerebral palsy (CP). A total of 625 consecutive children with CP, who were rehabilitated in the pediatrics rehabilitation clinic between 2000 and 2004 years, were included. Factors causing CP were investigated by interviewing the families and by scanning medical files. Risk factors were recorded as consanguineous marriage, maternal disorder, preterm birth, birth asphyxia, low birth weight, multiple pregnancy, neonatal convulsion, kernicterus, postnatal central nervous system infection and brain injury. Swedish classification was followed in CP typing. Of 625 children with CP, 370 (59.2%) were males and 255 (40.8%) were females, with ages ranging between 2 and 13 years (the mean age was 5.11+/-2.19 years). It was determined that 47.8% of the cases were spastic diplegic CP, 27.7% were spastic tetraplegic CP, 12.8% spastic hemiplegic CP and 11.7% were other types (ataxic, dyskinetic and mixed CP types). The most frequently encountered risk factors were low birth weight (45.1%), preterm birth (40.5%), birth asphyxia (34.6%) and consanguineous marriage (23.8%). Low birth weight, preterm birth, birth asphyxia and consanguineous marriage were top-ranked risk factors that were determined in Turkish children with CP. Compared with other countries, consanguineous marriage is still an important problem in Turkey.