Evidence-based diagnosis, health care, and rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Safer and more effective interventions have been invented for children with cerebral palsy, but the rapid expansion of the evidence base has made keeping up-to-date difficult. Unfortunately, outdated care is being provided. The aims were to survey the questions parents asked neurologists and provide evidence-based answers, using knowledge translation techniques. Parents asked the following questions: (1) what's wrong with my baby? An algorithm for early diagnosis was proposed. (2) What is cerebral palsy and what online resources are current? Reputable information websites were sourced and hyperlinks provided. (3) The prognosis? Prognostic data from meta-analyses were summarized in an infographic. (4) What interventions offer the most evidence-supported results? Systematic review data about the most effective interventions was mapped into a bubble chart infographic. Finally, (5) What can we expect? Predictors and facilitators of good outcomes were summarized. This article provides an overview of the most up-to-date diagnostic practices and evidence-based intervention options.

Keywords: cerebral palsy; evidence-based; intervention; knowledge translation.