Rehabilitation Outcome in 305 Turkish Patients With Cerebral Palsy

Authors: Neşe ÖZGİRGİN, Füsun GÜLER-UYSAL

Abstract: The aim of this stduy was to evaluate the eitology, clinical distribution, complications, progress and hospitalization time of the cerebral palsy patients treated at Ankara Rehabilitation Center during the last 2.5 years. Clinical grouping was done according to the John F. Kennedy Institute system of clasification. Degrees of head control, sitting balance, ability to crawl, balance on hands and knees, standing balance, gait and ambulation on admission and discharge were compared. The study group consisted of 305 patients (ages 2-14, mean 5.8; 129 girls and 176 boys). Perinatal factors were the most common etiologic factors in cerebral palsy. The clinical distributions of the patients were as follows: 221 patients had spastic CP, 30 had extrapyramidal CP and 54 had mixed forms. 149 patients had deformities of the lower extremities. Physiotherapy programs consisting of therapeutic exercise and neurodevelopmental techniques were performed. The duration of the stay of patients at the center was 69.8 days. Twenty-five of the patients were ambulatory at admission, while 187 were ambulatory with the aid of orthosis and assistive devices. Many studies report physiotherapy results with development in posture and gait, range of motion in the joint and activities of daily living. Our results are in agreement with such studies.

Keywords: Cerebral palsy, rehabilitation.

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