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. 2018 Mar;33(4):275-285.
doi: 10.1177/0883073817754006. Epub 2018 Jan 25.

Early Predictors and Correlates of Communication Function in Children With Cerebral Palsy

Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker  1   2 , Jaime Slaughter  3   4 , Purni Abeysekara  5 , Nhan T Ho  6 , Nancy Dodge  7 , Edward A Hurvitz  8 , Marilyn Seif Workinger  9 , Ray D Kent  10 , Peter Rosenbaum  11 , Madeleine Lenski  2 , Suzette Báez Vanderbeek  12 , Steven DeRoos  13 , Nigel Paneth  2   14
Affiliations

Early Predictors and Correlates of Communication Function in Children With Cerebral Palsy

Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker et al. J Child Neurol. 2018 Mar.

Abstract

Birth characteristics and developmental milestones were evaluated as early predictors/correlates of communication in children with cerebral palsy. The hypothesis was that maternal report of child's age for vocal play and first words would predict current functional communication. A case series of 215 children, 2 to 17 years (mean age = 8.2 years, SD = 3.9) with cerebral palsy was recruited from medical practices in 3 Michigan cities. Early developmental data were collected by maternal interview. The child's Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) level was obtained from parent. Predictors of less functional communication included gestational age >32 weeks, number of comorbidities, age of first words after age 24 months, and use of communication methods other than speech. Several birth characteristics and developmental language milestones were predictive of later communication performance for children with cerebral palsy. These characteristics and milestones should trigger referrals for communication evaluations, including speech, language, hearing, and/or augmentative and alternative communication.

Keywords: Communication Function Classification System (CFCS); Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS); Manual Ability Classification System (MAC); cerebral palsy; communication milestone.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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