Stability of motor function and associated impairments between childhood and adolescence in young people with cerebral palsy in Europe.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate whether impairments associated with cerebral palsy were stable between childhood and adolescence.

Method: The Study of Participation of Children with Cerebral Palsy Living in Europe (SPARCLE) longitudinal study was conducted in nine European regions. In total, 818 children aged 8 to 12 years were randomly selected from population-based registers; 594 (73%) were followed up at the age of 13 to 17 years (344 males, 250 females; median age 10 y 4 mo) Research associates visited them in their homes and recorded their motor function and additional impairments. Stability of impairment was assessed using the weighted kappa coefficient.

Results: The proportion of participants whose level of impairment remained unchanged varied from 63% for fine motor function to 98% for hearing. For gross motor function, communication, and cognitive level, the kappa and the lower bound of its 95% confidence interval (CI) were above 0.75, indicating stability between childhood and adolescence; for fine motor function and feeding, the kappa was above 0.75 but the lower bound of the 95% CI was below 0.75, indicating probable stability; for seizures and vision, the kappa was below 0.75, although the upper bound of the 95% CI was above 0.75, indicating possible change; for hearing the kappa and its entire CI were below 0.75, indicating change. Overall, 81% of participants had no seizures in childhood, of whom 93% were seizure-free in adolescence.

Interpretation: Motor function and additional impairments were generally stable between childhood and adolescence.