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. 2019;12(2):197-203.
doi: 10.3233/PRM-180596.

Prevalence and goal attainment with spinal orthoses for children with cerebral palsy

Katina Pettersson  1   2 , Elisabet Rodby-Bousquet  1   2
Affiliations

Prevalence and goal attainment with spinal orthoses for children with cerebral palsy

Katina Pettersson et al. J Pediatr Rehabil Med. 2019.

Abstract

Purpose: Analyze the goals for treatment and attained goals for spinal orthoses in children with cerebral palsy (CP), and describe the use of spinal orthoses in relation to age, sex, gross motor function, and scoliosis.

Methods: Cross-sectional data for all children born between 2000 and 2014 and registered in the Swedish CP registry were analyzed in relation to age, sex, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), and scoliosis. Treatment goals were to 1) prevent deformity; 2) improve stability/positioning; 3) improve head control; and 4) improve arm/hand function.

Results: Overall, 251 of the 2800 children (9%) used spinal orthoses, and the frequency increased significantly with age and GMFCS level; 147 of the 251 children had scoliosis. Several treatment goals were reported for most children. The most common goal was improved stability/positioning (96%), followed by head control (51%) and arm/hand function (38%). Only one third of the children used spinal orthoses to prevent deformities. The rate of goal attainment was 78-87% for the functional outcomes and 57% for the prevention of deformities.

Conclusion: Although the goal of using spinal orthosis to prevent curvature progression remains important, we found that its functional benefits (stability, head control, arm/hand function) were of greater importance.

Keywords: Cerebral palsy; adolescents; children; goals; postural balance; spinal orthoses.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to report.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Number of children with each goal and the rate of goal attainment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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