Cerebral Palsy, Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Conditions
Brief summary
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common lifelong physical disability. It is defined as a non-progressive disorder of movement originating from neural lesions in the perinatal period, and is associated with a wide range of common comorbidities in many individuals. These include problems speaking, hearing, seeing, thinking, feeding and controlling their bladder. People with CP often have additional challenges such as behavioural and emotional issues, pain, and poor sleep. Many of these challenges respond well to intervention in early childhood, as brain plasticity is at its greatest in the first 2 years of life. However, in most clinical settings, the age for diagnosis of CP is between 24 to 29 months, after this window of neurodevelopmental opportunity. This project will aim to improve the Early Detection of Cerebral Palsy in Ireland. This will be achieved by implementing an evidence-based approach to follow-up of High risk infants.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
National Maternity Hospital, Ireland
University Maternity Hospital Limerick
Cork University Maternity Hospital
Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital
The Rotunda Hospital
Cerebral Palsy Foundation
University College Cork
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
No minimum to 40 Weeks
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Legal guardians must be able and willing to give written informed consent and to comply with the requirements of this study protocol. * All infants considered high risk for cerebral palsy and neuro-developmental impairment will be eligible, specifically including: * All preterm infants born ≤32 weeks Post Menstrual Age or ≤1500 gm birth weight * All encephalopathic infants * Neurological risk factors (e.g., injury/malformation on neuroimaging, persistently abnormal neurological exam)
Exclusion criteria
* Death prior to discharge from the neonatal unit.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reduce the age of CP diagnosis in Ireland. | 5 years | Reduce the age of diagnosis of cerebral palsy in Ireland to less than 12 months of age by using evidence based standardised motor and neurological assessments at set time points. |
| Standardised Approach to Assessing infant at risk of CP | 5 years | To establish a standardised approach to assessing infants at risk of CP in High Risk Follow-up Clinics across Ireland. |
Countries
Ireland
Contacts
Primary ContactBrian H Walsh
Backup ContactTeresa Berkery
Outcome results
None listed