Use of primary health care services among children and adolescents with cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a childhood-onset condition that affects movement and muscle coordination, and those with CP often have additional conditions related to their CP. Therefore, they need various health care services throughout their lifetime to manage their condition. This article explores how children and adolescents with CP use primary health care services (general practitioners and urgent care centers).

Children and adolescents with CP had more contact with primary health care services than those without CP. The most common reasons for these visits were respiratory and general health issues. They were also more likely to have epilepsy, a psychological condition, and a need for administrative reasons (e.g. prescription renewal and referrals to other health and social services) than children without CP. Although all children and adolescents with CP had more contacts regardless of level of gross motor impairment, the frequency of contact increased as the severity of impairments increased.

A key finding was that while children and adolescents with CP often have regular contact with the specialist health care services, primary health care services also play an important role in the coordination of their care. It is important that primary health care service providers have both general knowledge of CP as a complex condition, but also specific medical knowledge of the impact of associated conditions.