5. Associated comorbidities

Besides motor disabilities, there are significant comorbid disorders of cerebral function that may appear or become severe as the child grows including intellectual disability, seizures, behavioral and emotional disorders, speech and language disorders, as well as visual and hearing impairments. Social difficulties and autism spectrum disorders are also commonly associated comorbidities [10]. In addition, many accompanying conditions such as growth failure, pulmonary disease, orthopedic problems (e.g., joint subluxations and dislocations and hip dysplasia), osteopenia, urinary disorders, sleep disturbance, and hypersalivation have been identified. Pain is common in children with CP and can significantly impact the quality of life. Children with more severe motor disabilities are also more likely to have comorbidities.

These associated comorbidities occur in CP at variable rates. Pain is noted in 75% of CP subjects, intellectual disability in half of them, whereas inability to walk or hip displacement is equally seen in a third. Twenty-five percent of children with CP cannot talk, and a similar proportion carries a diagnosis of epilepsy. Behavioral disorders and urinary incontinence are equally seen in roughly 25% of subjects and sleep disorders in 20%; tube feeding is needed in little less than 10%. Blindness is noted in 10% of cases, with deafness being less common at a rate of 5%.
