Early Clinical Diagnosis of and Intervention in Pediatric Cerebral Palsy

Dear Colleagues,

Cerebral palsy (CP), resulting from brain damage during fetal or infant development, is the most common childhood motor disorder and associated impairments have consequences for development and participation. Cerebral palsy is a clinical description rather than a distinct diagnosis and, historically, the clinical diagnosis is made around two years of age. Recent advances in early diagnositcs suggest, however, that diagnosing infants at risk of cerebral palsy should be followed by early and specific intervention. The challenges concern whether the children’s abilities can be improved by intervention and whether we can understand more about the factors influencing development after an early brain lesion. Coherent and flexible services are required to meet the needs of the families, necessitating the inclusion of the parent/carer voice and expectations. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide an overview of recent advances in the early diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cerebral palsy, as well as early detection and treatment of associated comorbidities and complications. Researchers in the field of cerebral palsy are encouraged to submit original articles or reviews to this Special Issue, so that we can build an evidence base to guide decision making.

Dr. Ann Kristin G. Elvrum
Prof. Dr. Ann-Christin Eliasson
Guest Editors

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• cerebral palsy
• early diagnosis
• family factors
• associated impairments
• outcome measures
• intervention
• mental health