Relation Between Objectively Measured Growth Determinants and Ambulation in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Aims: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a well-known neurodevelopmental condition beginning in early childhood and persisting throughout one’s life span. Feeding problems and eating impairments in CP children are well documented in the literature. The aims of our study were to determine the prevalence of linear growth retardation and the other growth determinants in this patient group and to identify the contributing factors and their relationship with ambulation.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional and prospective study was carried out between March 2007 and July 2007 in our pediatric inpatient rehabilitation service, and a total of 34 CP patients (22 male, 12 female) were enrolled into the study. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, upper arm length, skinfold thickness) were performed to clarify the growth and nutrition determinants.Results: According to our results in the total sample, highly positive correlations were found between anthropometric measurements and ambulatory status, whereby with higher levels of ambulation (community walker), the percentiles of growth parameters were increased. Additionally, nutritional status was not significantly affected by ambulatory skills but this relation did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: We concluded that ambulation level is highly related with growth determinants, or vice versa.Early awareness of physicians on this topic is important and can possibly make great differences in the stature and neurologic well-being of these patients.