Medical and surgical procedures experienced by young children with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: To determine the variation in medical and surgical procedures experienced by children with cerebral palsy (CP) by Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels and geographical region.

Methods: A secondary analysis of an existing database was completed on 386 children with CP (56% male) between the ages of 18 months and 5 years (mean of 38 months, SD = 11.5). The total number of procedures experienced by young children was analyzed using 1-way analyses of variance.

Results: Botulinum toxin A (Botox) injections, gastrostomies, shunts, and interventions involving the gastrointestinal tract, respiration, and eyes varied significantly by GMFCS level. No meaningful variations were detected between East, Central, and West regions in North America.

Conclusions: This study describes variations in medical and surgical procedures for children with CP across GMFCS levels. This information is useful for therapists and parents when planning comprehensive services for young children with CP.