Spring 1999
Volume 1, Issue 1
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Contents: |
HOT OFF THE PRESS! Early Findings of our Study! These results are based on our early analysis of the data. So some of the details may change as we come to a better understanding of the data. However, we can make some general conclusions. To summarize the measurement data, we found that many of the children with moderate to severe CP were shorter and thinner. The older the child and the more severe their CP, the shorter they were compared to other children their age. The better nourished children were taller. Of our study group 40% were, technically, undernourished as measured by low mid-arm fat. We were surprised to see that the child's nutritional state did not seem to affect their general health, according to their parents. General health seemed to be more affected by the severity of the child's CP than by nutritional status or body fat. Part of the study was to ask parents lots of questions about their child. Parents really liked to talk about their child's special qualities! You taught us a lot and we thank you! Most parents [ 80% ] knew what caused their child's CP; 68% was due to a brain injury acquired perinatally-(the period shortly before and after birth). One of five [ 20% ] of caregivers did not know the exact cause. Improved education, counseling, and better communication between families and doctors remains an important area for improvement. As you know we also studied physical maturation (puberty) in children close to the teen years. This had never been studied before in children with CP! We found, as with children without CP, girls started and finished puberty earlier than boys. African American children with CP started & finished puberty earlier. White girls with CP seem to start puberty earlier yet finish puberty later, than white girls without CP. We did not have enough African American girls in the study to make any further conclusions. We definitely need to study more on this subject! |