Follow-up Studies in Cerebral Palsy

Under the auspices of the Canadian Rehabilitation Council for the Disabled, a follow-up study on young adults with cerebral palsy between the ages of 17 and 25 years was carried out by means of a questionnaire. These young adults had attended treatment centres in various parts of Canada. One hundred and seventy-six completed questionnaires were used for analysis. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the present status of these individuals in terms of competitive employment, recreational pursuits and residence. At the time of the survey, 50 of these subjects were engaged in competitive employment or were considered to be potentially employable. The detailed findings of this study are compared with those of other surveys, and factors influencing the potential of disabled persons are reviewed.     

Follow-up Study of Patients With Cerebral Palsy

Of 319 patients with cerebral palsy recalled for reevaluation 15 years after the initial visit, 10 percent had died. Of the living, 55 percent had spasticity, 32 percent had athetosis, 4 percent had ataxia and 9 percent had mixed spasticity and athetosis; 38 percent had an intelligence quotient (IQ) less than 50, 24 percent between 50 and 79, and 38 percent had IQ above 80. There was a high correlation between overall functional outcome and intellectual level. Severity of physical disability, as measured by hand use, mobility and speech, also correlated with dependence, in part because increased severity of the disability was associated with decreased intellectual capacity generally.Twenty-five years after the initial visit, parental attitudes and personality intactness were evaluated (using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory [MMPI]) and were correlated with satisfaction with status in life in 28 persons predicted to be independent on the 15-year study. Twenty (72 percent) of the 28 were satisfied with their status in life and of these, 16 were evaluated (with the MMPI) with 70 percent scoring in the normal range; 13 (65 percent) had parents with a positive attitude. Positive attitude was defined as parental feelings that the handicapped child was a worthy, valuable person, to be encouraged and assisted but not isolated from the world of nonhandicapped people.Careful serial assessment by professional teams combined with repeated long-term counseling of families can result in optimal outcome for the disability level involved, due to the primary role parents play in the development of a child''s character and behavior.