NORTH AMERICAN GROWTH IN CEREBRAL PALSY PROJECT

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Normal growth in children is generally accepted as a marker for health, while abnormal growth is a marker that the child may be ill or malnourished or that something may be awry in the child's environment. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) frequently grow poorly. However, normal growth patterns for children with CP have not been established, so it is often difficult to discriminate children with CP who are healthy from those who are ill. The North American Growth in Cerebral Palsy Project (NAGCePP) was developed to address the lack of data regarding growth and nutritional status in children with Cerebral Palsy. The specific aims of this proposal are: A. To refine a clinical protocol and methodology for the comprehensive study of growth and nutritional status in children with CP B. To develop a well-equipped, multicenter network for the comprehensive study of growth and nutritional status in children with CP and to demonstrate the feasibility of this network C. To collect pilot data of growth in a representative, population- based sample of children with CP in five geographic areas in North America D. To complete collection of data of a representative, population- based sample of children with CP in order to describe expected growth patterns NAGCePP will consist of a multicenter core study coupled with one or more nested studies. The core study is to be anthropometric study of growth in a population-based, random sample of children with CP to which all centers will contribute data. Additionally, individual centers will have ongoing nested studies utilizing small subsamples to which only that individually site (or a few sites) contributes data. These nested studies will address more specific questions related to growth, nutritional status, and their effects on functional status and quality of life. This proposal requests funds for the multicenter core study and for the first nested study, which will be performed at the main study and for the first nested study, which will be performed at the main study site. This proposal aims to contribute information toward the understanding of normal growth and nutritional status in children with cerebral palsy. An understanding of normal growth in these children is a prerequisite to understanding the relationship between growth, nutritional status, functional abilities and health-related quality of life