Prevalence of cerebral palsy, co‐occurring autism spectrum disorders, and motor functioning –<scp>A</scp>utism and<scp>D</scp>evelopmental<scp>D</scp>isabilities<scp>M</scp>onitoring<scp>N</scp>etwork,<scp>USA</scp>, 2008

<jats:sec><jats:title>Aim</jats:title><jats:p>The aim of this study was to report the prevalence and characteristics of children with cerebral palsy (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CP</jats:styled-content>).</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Method</jats:title><jats:p>Children with<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CP</jats:styled-content>(<jats:italic>n</jats:italic>=451) were ascertained by the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">ADDM</jats:styled-content>) Network, a population‐based, record‐review surveillance system monitoring<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CP</jats:styled-content>in four areas of the<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">USA</jats:styled-content>. Prevalence was calculated as the number of children with<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CP</jats:styled-content>among all 8‐year‐old children residing in these areas in 2008. Motor function was categorized by<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">G</jats:styled-content>ross<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">M</jats:styled-content>otor<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">F</jats:styled-content>unction<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">C</jats:styled-content>lassification<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">S</jats:styled-content>ystem level and walking ability. Co‐occurring autism spectrum disorders (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">ASD</jats:styled-content>) and epilepsy were ascertained using<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">ADDM</jats:styled-content>Network surveillance methodology.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>The period prevalence of<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CP</jats:styled-content>for 2008 was 3.1 per 1000 8‐year‐old children (95% confidence interval 2.8–3.4). Approximately 58% of children walked independently. Co‐occurring<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">ASD</jats:styled-content>frequency was 6.9% and was higher (18.4%) among children with non‐spastic<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CP</jats:styled-content>, particularly hypotonic<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CP</jats:styled-content>. Co‐occurring epilepsy frequency was 41% overall, did not differ by<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">ASD</jats:styled-content>status or<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CP</jats:styled-content>subtype, and was highest (67%) among children with limited or no walking ability.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Interpretation</jats:title><jats:p>The prevalence of<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CP</jats:styled-content>in childhood from<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">US</jats:styled-content>surveillance data has remained relatively constant, in the range of 3.1 to 3.6 per 1000, since 1996. The higher frequency of<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">ASD</jats:styled-content>in non‐spastic than in spastic subtypes of<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CP</jats:styled-content>calls for closer examination.</jats:p></jats:sec>