ABSTRACT
Cerebral palsy [CP] is defined as non-progressive disorder of movement and posture due to brain insult or injury occurring in the period of early brain growth [generally under three years of age]. The clinical characteristic of this common problem had not been studied before in any of the Kurdish cities of the north of Iraq. This is a descriptive study of the clinical characteristics of cerebral palsy in the city of Dohuk at the north of Iraq. This is a case series descriptive study conducted in the children rehabilitation unit of Azadi general hospital and Dohuk children's rehabilitation center in the city Dohuk on children with Cerebral palsy. The following information were studied, the first presenting compliant, age distribution, the antenatal illnesses, antenatal drug use, mode of delivery, gestational age, the state at birth, types of CP, associated congenital abnormalities, any other associated problems and the treatment used. The total number of patients were 100, males were outnumbering females [1.3:1]. Spastic CP was the most common type [57%]. Most of the patient presented between the age of 7-12 months [66%], the most common first presenting complaints were the delayed milestones[50%], most of the patients came from a vaginal delivery [68%], the associated problems were: swallowing problems [68%], walking problems [65%], epilepsy and seizure disorders [60%], speech problems [46%], neonatal jaundice which was developed in 95% of cases, and finally, most of the patient came to parents who got married as a result of consanguineous marriage [68%]. This is first descriptive study among children with CP from the Kurdish population highlighting certain demographic and clinical characteristics of them