ABSTRACT

Cerebral palsy is a disease characterized by loss of mainly motor functions and posture resulting from a damage occured in immature brain tissue. The aim of our study is to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of cerebral palsy patients who applied to our out-patient clinic. Eighty-seven patients who had been diagnosed as cerebral palsy previously were involved in the study. Age and gender data of the patients and age and educational status of the parents were investigated. Clinical types of cerebral palsy were determined. Functional levels of the patients were ascertained according to gross motor function classification system and comorbid pathologies seen with the disease were recorded. Patients’ ages ranged between 15 months and 19 years., and 53 of the 87 patients were males and 34 were females. Perinatal risk factors (41.4 %) were present. A great portion of the patients were bilaterally affected, spastic clinical type (64.4 %). Functional capacities of the patients were predominantly at level 4 (37.9 %) according to gross motor function classification system. The number of researches investigating cerebral palsy patients in the Turkish population in international literature is very few. Although our study analyses cerebral palsy patients; multicentric studies reflecting general population, are needed to be organized.