Descriptive epidemiology of cerebral palsy.

The paper reviews the recent epidemiological literature on the prevalence of cerebral palsy (CP), including age, sex, and prevalence rates. Special attention is given to the clinical characteristics, including the forms of CP and the incidence of epilepsy, intellectual impairment, and defects of vision, speech, and hearing. Trends in the prevalence of CP are also considered, with particular reference to improvement in perinatal intensive care.

[Epileptic seizures in children and youth with cerebral palsy]. / Napady padaczkowe u dzieci i mlodziezy z mózgowym porazeniem dzieciecym.

An epidemiological analysis of the data recorded from a population of children and youth from Zielona Góra in the age 0-18 years was made. Among 96 patients with cerebral palsy (CP), the group of 29 children with epilepsy was separated. Real relations between type and frequency of epileptic seizures in particular clinical subtypes of CP was observed. Interdependences between mental development and epilepsy were analysed. West or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome was more frequent among children with severe or profound mental retardation when in other groups. It was observed, that patients with severe motoric dysfunctions had epileptic seizures in younger age than the other. In this group status epilepticus was observed more frequent too. Effects of mono or politherapy in particular types of seizures were analysed.