Growth failure in children with Cerebral Palsy: evaluation of the main risk factors

We examined 53 subjects (S) affected by Cerebral Palsy (CP) (30 males, 23 females; mean age 11y5m): 24S (Group A) presented growth failure (GF), 29 S (Group B) did not. We evaluated: gestational age, CP form, disability level (according to GMFCS), mental retardation, dysphagia, epilepsy, endocrine impairment, pediatric illnesses, laboratory investigations, associated drugs. Main risk factors for GF: disability level, dysphagia, probably CP form. DISABILITY LEVEL: with GF: level V 11/11S, level IV 8/18S (44%), level III: 5/17S (29%); without GF: level II: 7/7S. These results demonstrate the correlation between disability level and GF frequency. DYSPHAGIA: Group A: 18/24S; Group B: 2/29S. In spite of the data, the role of dysphagia is not simple to evaluate because it is subordinated to the localization and the severity of the injury; in fact Group B: 2S had dysphagia, Group A: level V: 1S had not dysphagia, in 2S a nasogastric tube allowed recovery of weight but not of lenght, level IV/III: 5/13S had not dysphagia. Moreover, all these 5S were affected by dyskinetic CP, that is present in 13/24S (54%) Group A, 10/29S (34%) Group B: correlation between CP form and GF? We propose a specific assessment protocol for GF in CP