Forthcoming Issue Vol. 20 No. 2 <b>Tertiary Paediatric Hospital admissions for children with cerebral palsy in South Africa</b>
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Abstract
Background: There is limited data on the hospital admissions for children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) in Africa
Objectives: To examine the lifetime post- neonatal hospitalisation of all the children with CP, who attended the CP clinic at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCWMCH), in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.
Methods: This descriptive study examined the lifetime post- neonatal hospitalisation of all the children with CP who attended, at least once, the dedicated CP clinic at this tertiary paediatric hospital during a 12-month period in 2021. The statistical strategy included descriptive statistics and logistic regression used to model the association between CP comorbidities and hospitalisation.
Results: The study included 877 children and young adults with CP, aged 1-23 years. Out of these, 800 children had their CP Classified according to the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe (SCPE) Classification, with the majority being non- ambulatory (61.5%, n=492) were non- ambulatory (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] IV-V). Over two- thirds, (73.1, 585/800) of the entire cohort were admitted to the hospital at least once per year, primarily the non- ambulatory children (63.6%, 372/585). The top emergency diagnoses were seizures (22.8%,293/1283), respiratory related illnesses (14.7%,188/1283) and gastrointestinal disorders (7.6%,98/1283). Orthopedic procedures were the most frequently documented elective admission diagnosis (17.1%,219/1283). In our cohort of children with CP, the odds of their first hospital admission being elective were higher in ambulatory children with orthopedic complications (odds ratio (OR) 3.78,95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.82 - 7.86; p<0.01).
Conclusion: The study highlights the significant burden of hospital admissions particularly in non- ambulatory children with CP. It also underscores the importance of preventing and effectively managing complications to reduce emergency hospitalisations of children with CP.
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