This large study looked at people with clinician-confirmed cerebral palsy from 22 sites in the United States. The group included 9,756 participants, mostly children under 18. Most were White, male, and non-Hispanic. The researchers examined how different physical traits and birth history related to motor function levels and genetic causes.
The results showed that 55.6% of participants had motor function levels I through III. Over half were born preterm, and most had spasticity. About 42% had quadriplegia. Additionally, 12.2% of the group had a genetic cause identified. The study used statistical methods to find links between physical traits and these outcomes.
Importantly, the researchers noted that contemporary data on cerebral palsy in the US remains limited. While the findings can help guide prognosis and testing strategies, they describe associations rather than proving cause and effect. Readers should view these results as useful information for understanding the condition, not as proof that one factor directly causes another.