Cerebral Palsy and the Low-Birth-Weight Child

Two hundred two cerebral palsy patients with birth weights of 2,268 gm (5 lb) or less were classified by gestational categories and studied in relation to pregnancy and obstetrical factors, intelligence quotient, type of cerebral palsy, and degree of physical impairment. No significant relationship was found between any of the variables and length of gestation. Comparison with a normal-birth-weight, full-term cerebral palsy population indicated more spastic diplegia/paraplegia, less physical impairment, and greater intellectual potential in the study population. Comparison of the study group with two newborn populations indicated a significantly smaller proportion of small-for-gestational-age infants in the former.