Health-related quality of life in childhood cerebral palsy

OBJECTIVE: To describe the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of a cross-section of children with cerebral palsy (CP) using the Child Health Questionnaire. DESIGN: Survey of the parents or guardians of children with CP. SETTING: Outpatient clinics at a tertiary care children's hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Children (N=177; 98 boys, 79 girls; mean age +/- standard deviation [SD], 8.6+/-4.2y) with CP were enrolled as a convenience sample. Study subjects were stratified by severity of CP using the Gross Motor Function Classification System. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: HRQOL scores, as determined by the Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50. RESULTS: Parents reported reduced HRQOL for their children with CP. In the physical function domain, most children scored over 3 SDs below a normative sample, and scores in parental impact domains were at least 1 SD below the normative sample. Psychosocial domains were less impaired. Most of the effects on physical and parent impact domains were greater in children with more severe CP, although they were significant in most strata of severity. CONCLUSIONS: Children with CP have reduced HRQOL and the degree to which it is reduced is related to the severity of their CP.