Prevalence of Cerebral Palsy in Children (Under Five) in and around Dar-Es-Salaam

Abstract

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a non-progressive disorder of posture and movement due to brain damage/insult/lesion before birth, during delivery or in the perinatal period. It is a neurological disorder of childhood with significant medico-social implications. A retrospective hospital based cross sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and causes of cerebral palsy among children (under the age of five) attending
orthopedic clinics and physiotherapy unit at CCBRT Hospital. Information was collected from registry books and patients files using a design table and then depicted on the prepared dummy tables for report. 232 cases  male: 144; female: 88) met the inclusion criteria. Of these,
48 came from Kinondoni district of Dar-es-Salaam. Most of the cases were from 1 to 2 years old children. The males were affected most. The most common etiological factor encountered includes spastic form of cerebral palsy in 75% cases.About 86% of patients had delayed milestone as an associated condition. Most cases of cerebral palsy in Dar-es-Salaam were related to perinatal problems. Improved perinatal care may reduce the burden of cerebral palsy in the community. High rates of erratic and irregular followup by the parents of the affected children are also a cause for poor care of the affected children. The parents should also be motivated through education and explanations to improve the quality of care available to affected children.

Keywords: Cerebral palsy, children, perinatal problem