PubMed1992
A prospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the results of a new screening system for latent psychomotor disturbances in infancy developing into cerebral palsy (CP). The system has been based on an early diagnosis within the first 2 months of life with a subsequent follow-up. All liveborn children were screened and suspect cases were immediately referred to detailed neurological examination. With the new screening system implemented within 1988 to 1989, the incidence of cerebral palsy in the area could be halved as compared to 1980 to 1986 (0.26% vs. 0.52% of liveborn children respectively). Out of 4,166 liveborn children, 527 newborns had to be referred to neurologic examination, thereof 460 required follow-up and 228 had to be treated. In only 11 of the children CP was diagnosed at the age of 15 months. 8 of the CP children presented signs of serious neurologic disturbance at birth and were considered as "requiring high-tech use". A latent psychomotor disturbance developing slowly into CP during the first year of life occurred but in 3 children, 2 of them having relatively favorable prognosis; this group was termed as "requiring skilled clinical organization". Premature children (under 37 weeks of gestational age) had an 82% share on our recent CP patients.